


Loving You Forever Can't Be Wrong

by CatiiaSofiia, MissChrisDaae



Series: Dark Paradise [3]
Category: Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Dark, Angst with a Happy Ending, BDSM, Codependency, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Gen, Infertility, Miscarriage, Past Rape/Non-con
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-22
Updated: 2019-06-26
Packaged: 2020-03-09 20:00:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 6
Words: 26,123
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18924046
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CatiiaSofiia/pseuds/CatiiaSofiia, https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissChrisDaae/pseuds/MissChrisDaae
Summary: Aivela and Vader.Empress and Sith.Padmé and Anakin.All these things they are, but there's one more set of names they want. One they may never have.But the Force has ways of surprising even the greatest cynics.





	1. Chapter 1

“Breathe, Majesty.”

“Say that again and I will have you melted down for scrap!” Padmé screamed through her sweat and tears.

“Angel, I’m here, it’s alright,” Vader whispered in her ear, having learned to school and manage his emotions a long time ago, he was eerily calm. “We’re going to be alright and this is nearly over, love.”

“Make it stop,” she begged, crushing his right hand in both of hers. “Force, make it stop.”

He sighed, feeling helpless as he was unable to stop her pain. “It will. A few moments more,” he leaned his forehead against hers. “It’s almost over,” he whispered just for her. _I am so sorry._

With a long, shuddering breath, Padmé’s body went slack, and the medical droid moved away, holding the form of something in its arms that had become all too familiar to the Empress and her consort. “Do you want to see—”

“No,” Padmé cut the droid off, burying her face in Vader’s chest, trying to suppress the hole that was already forming in her soul. She’d let herself believe this time would be different. She’d dared to let that boy from her dreams be something she could hope for, and now, he was gone, taken from them just like the other two babies had been. “Just...just take it away. Please.”

“Prince Consort?”

Vader only shook his head. It was their third time going through the process of delivering a stillborn child, neither of them needed to see a child they could never love. After nearly four years, they didn’t have the strength or hope to go through the process again. “Take care of the Empress, I would like to take her back to our chambers,” he said without emotion.

“Yes, sir.” The medical droid floated away with the lifeless bundle should have been their baby, and a new droid moved closer, administering a shot of painkillers to Padmé’s arm. She let out a moan of relief mingled with anguish but did not move from her husband’s embrace. “We’ll take a blood sample and have the necessary medication sent to your chambers, you can return there now. Shall we fetch a hoverchair?”

“I can walk,” Padmé protested weakly, and Vader knew it was a lie. She simply hated the feelings of weakness and helplessness running through her right now. She’d done this the last two times too.

“I will carry you,” he declared gently and scooped her up in his arms. She curled in on herself, nestling close with her head on his heart as she wept softly.

“I love you,” she whispered.

It broke his heart. “I love you too, always,” he kissed her forehead.

In their chambers, he laid her down on the bed, and covered her, laying by her side. “I’m so, so sorry,” he whispered, caressing her cheek.

“It’s not your fault,” she protested, catching his hand and kissing the tips of his fingers. “You’ve done everything you could, it just…” She dissolved into tears again, her words coming out in gasps. “We need to stop. Every time we get closer, we get our hopes up, and every time, we get our hearts broken. I don’t know that I’m strong enough to endure it again.”

“I healed you. I shouldn’t have insisted,” he frowned. “I know, love, I know. I feel the same. Our lives have been so, so focused on having a child, on making sure the next pregnancy works, we’ve barely lived. We’ve barely been ourselves. We can stop. We should stop. We don’t deserve any more hurting.”

Four years ago, being a parent had been the furthest thing from his mind. It was not a situation he craved, but if she had wanted, he wouldn’t have opposed. Now, after three failed pregnancies, he craved it more than anything, and it hurt. It hurt them both and they had to stop. Pain had always been a part of their lives, but being with each other should be different. It shouldn’t bring them pain.

“I don’t want you to stop trying to heal me,” she corrected. “But you’re right. It doesn’t need to be a priority anymore. I’ll make arrangements with the emdee for contraceptives after I’ve recovered.”

He nodded. “If you’re sure, I’ll continue, but I don’t have to,” he sighed, laying on his back, staring at the ceiling. “We should go away,” he muttered.

“Hmm?” she said drowsily, rolling closer to him. “No, you don’t have to. But I like how it feels. Safe. Warm. Loving.”

Internally, he winced. Even if he felt that way, he knows that it brought them nothing but heartache. They had lost three children already, each loss leaving them more hollow than the last one. He didn’t know if he had the strength to do it again, he knew he did not want _her_ to go through the process again. Her body had already gone through so much trauma in her life, inflicting more over and over, it was wrong and he wanted to resume their blissful, married life. He wanted to push the cloud of negativity away.

“Then we should both take contraceptives, to be safe,” he nodded. “We’ve been neglecting the Galaxy lately, focusing on our… _fertility issues_ … what if we did a tour through the systems? Royal visits, fortify our relationships with our allies, see if something needs more immediate attention from our part. Leaving Mustafar, and traveling for a couple of months could be healthy for us, what do you say?” Vader offered.

“Yes,” she mumbled, spooning him tightly. “We’ll start making the plans in the morning, Thrawn can handle it.”

“We can stay away for as long as you want,” he whispered, kissing her forehead. “As you need.” He would also be very capable of killing whoever spoke about pregnancy or losing a child in front of her.

“It’s a big galaxy,” Padmé sighed. “Could take a long time. Might be good for us. We should do that, you’re right. And I love you. So, so much, I couldn’t have survived any of this without you. You’re everything to me.”

“Likewise, Angel. I’ve told you many times before. We’re enough. We don’t need more. Agreed?” He asked softly.

“Agreed.” She pressed a hand to his cheek. “Good night, Anakin.”

It was one of the rare moments that he didn’t bother to correct her.

* * *

 Three days later, the two of them walked into the council chambers without any indication of the loss they had suffered. Padmé, in particular, looked pristine, her hair impeccably braided and held in place with an onyx-studded gold clip that matched her gown perfectly. “We have a state visit from the Queen of Alderaan scheduled for later today, but once that’s over, the Prince Consort and I will be taking a tour of the Galaxy,” she announced, taking her seat with very little fanfare. “Mitth'raw'nuruodo will be acting as Regent here during our absence.”

“I shall be ever the humble servant of your Majesty’s will,” Thrawn promised serenely.

“Will I be staying too, Master?” Ahsoka asked.

“If you don’t mind,” he gave her a small smile. “I need someone I trust here.”

“I won’t let you down.”

“Are you sure such a move is wise, your Majesty?” Clu Lesser spoke up in a blunt tone that made Padmé’s eyes narrow.

“Do elaborate,” she said, exhaling in a slow hiss through her teeth.

“Yes, please do,” Vader drawled out, crossing his arms over his chest, eyes narrowed. He had been feeling like he could kill someone since that delivery room, three days ago, the idiot Muun in front of them was as good as anyone he could come up with. Kenobi was still not an option.

“I only meant that you’re in a delicate state, given recent events, and perhaps space travel is not the best thing for you.”

“ _Delicate_ ,” Padmé repeated, slipping completely into the mask of Aivela as every implication of that word sunk into her soul. _Fragile. Weak. Incapable. Breakable._

Vader placed a hand on her shoulder to placate her. He had heard enough. His moves were very quick. Ahsoka pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes, shaking her head as she saw her Master decapitate Clu Lesser in a matter of nanoseconds, his red blade casting a dangerous glow in the chamber.

“Anyone else have an opinion they want to share?” Vader asked calmly.

“Thrawn, you’ll need a new Minister of the Treasury while we’re gone,” Aivela said, staring at the vacant eyes of the last man to hold the title. “Commander Rex, will you and your troopers kindly take the garbage out of here?” Rex shared a glance with Cody, his Captain, and nodded and both of them removed Clu Lesser’s body from the room, where the silence was so heavy, one could hear a pin drop. “Does anyone else have something to say about my miscarriages?”  Aivela asked sharply. Vader tensed and it seemed to increase the humming of the blade. No one said a word. “I didn’t think so. Now, back to business.” As she began talking with Thrawn and the other advisors, Vader felt his Apprentice reach out to him through the Force.

_You’re angry, Master._

Vader’s nostrils flared. _Understatement._

_Hurt too. Maybe we can train this afternoon? It will help you relax._

He turned his head slightly towards her and Ahsoka gave him a small smile. Slowly, he nodded in agreement.

The thought of blowing off steam with his Apprentice kept him going through the rest of the monotony that afternoon, and when it was finally over, he kissed his wife on the cheek and gestured for Ahsoka to follow.

* * *

 Their red blades clashed against one another in a series of quick movements and strikes. Master and Apprentice danced perfectioned moves around the gym and the only sounds were their labored breaths and the humming of the lightsabers.

Over the past three years, Ahsoka had greatly improved her fighting skills and it kept training very interesting to Vader. Today, however, he was still vibrating with fury from the Council meeting and the hurt of the loss he suffered made him distracted.

“Is it today I beat you, Master?” Ahsoka teased lightly.

Vader scoffed. “Don’t get cocky.”

“Don’t get sloppy,” she taunted.

His response was a blow with the Force that sent her toppling backward. However, she was still able to defend his next attack. “Do you want to talk about it?”

Her Master scowled. “When did I ever wanted to do that?”

“You murdered someone today,” she pointed out, using a backflip to get back on her feet. “I know that’s the way of the Dark Side, but he was a stupid old man, not a criminal, or a Jedi, or a threat to the Empress. Couldn’t you have just tossed him in a dungeon? Or taken off a limb? Something less final?”

"You want me to apologize?" He scoffed. "To regret the death of an incompetent fool?"

“No, I just think there’s a healthier way to work out your anger,” she mumbled.

“I don’t think that that is possible.”

“Master, really, are you and Padmé doing alright?” A grand total of two people were allowed to use the Empress’ given name, and Ahsoka had only recently earned that privilege, so she was using it _a lot_ in private.

“Not really, no,” Vader confessed. “We thought this was it. We had passed the first trimester and we were ending the second one. Everything was ready for this baby, Ahsoka. Nursery, names, toys... we can’t keep doing this.”

“You had the right idea. You do need to get away from here,” Ahsoka declared grimly. “I know you draw power from Mustafar, but this place can feel poisonous sometimes.”

“I’m hoping traveling around the Galaxy will put us in the right path again. The past three years have been about having a child. Not even about us, or our pleasure, but having this heir that suddenly we craved,” he found himself saying. “Leaving will be good. You are sure you can handle Mustafar on your own?

“I’m tougher than I look, Master, don’t worry,” she reassured him, spinning her saber. “Let’s go again.”

“Tougher, yes. Able to beat me?” He shook his head as he got into position. “Still no.”

* * *

 There was one spot in the royal palace that defied Mustafar’s hellish landscape, and that was the private garden that Vader had gifted to Padmé on their first wedding anniversary. It had cost a small fortune, particularly the now endangered species of flowers that had been indigenous to Naboo, but it was a luxury that Padmé cherished in moments like this. She did not regret her suggestion to destroy the planet, but she hadn’t realized she’d missed the beauty of the place she’d been born until Vader had given her back a piece of it. “How does it compare to Aldera?” she asked, looking at Breha Organa, who sat beside her.

“There was never nothing quite like Naboo,” Breha said with a gentle smile. “This garden must bring you peace.”

“At times. But I will be glad to be away from here for a little,” she admitted, setting down her teacup. “You’ve been through it just as much as I have, Breha, surely you understand.”

Breha sighed, sipping her tea. “Yes, I do. Each time, it hurts more. The renewed hope, the dreams, the nursery…” she shook her head. “It’s complicated, hurtful, and you are being a warrior. It took me a lot longer to stop crying and leave my room to resume my duties,” she whispered. “I am lucky to have Bail.”

“He’s a good man,” Padmé agreed. “Can I trust you to keep a secret?”

“Of course. We’re friends. You can trust me,” Breha set her teacup down to give the Empress her full attention.

“I had a dream, once. Four years ago. A little boy, my husband in miniature, and when I asked him who he was, he just pointed at me.” Padmé sighed, staring straight ahead. “It’s burned into my mind, and I know it means something, but I can’t tell Vader. It would only hurt him more. We both agreed that we need to stop now, but that child… he haunts me. I know I have to let it go, but I can’t.”

“Maybe it was a vision of the future,” Breha said, taking the other woman’s hand and giving it a squeeze. “I dreamt about my children, yes, but nothing quite as specific. It might be a sign of what’s to come, but one’s path is never easy. Especially for the positions that we occupy. It’s already a miracle that you are able to conceive, maybe all you need is time and yes, for now, after the last three miscarriages, you two need to focus on each other. One thing that cannot break or bend with the pain, is your relationship with your husband. Who knows about the future? I placed my fate in the Force’s hand a long time ago and I have made my peace. It’s not my destiny to carry my own child. You should do the same, and believe it will do the best for you.”

“That’s part of the logic behind this progress. We might visit you again on Alderaan, but there are other planets that need more attention,” Padmé explained. “But, Breha. About Bail.”

“Yes?” The Queen asked, frowning. “What about my husband?”

“I’m aware of the company he keeps,” the Empress informed her bluntly. “And I don’t want to see you made a widow. I suggest you tell him to consider what friends he values. Do you understand?”

Breha nodded solemnly. “I will. I do tell him to think about his actions. The Galaxy has never met peace such as this. Yet… husbands can be stubborn, as I’m sure you know. I will speak to him, however. You have my word.”

“Good. He’s a good man,” Padmé said again. “The Galaxy would be a worse place without him.”

“It would,” Breha agreed. “He has enormous strength. To support me, our people, he’s everything to me. As we speak about husbands, how is yours handling the loss?”

“Stoic and supportive,” Padmé sighed. “But I know it pains him too. He’s put so much effort into healing me too. It doesn’t help that every time, we’ve made it further along, and we dare to hope that it might be different.”

“He must be hurting, which is natural, but they have a tendency to hide it underneath the hard exteriors and their love for us,” Breha pointed out. “Leaving Mustafar might be the best thing you can do for each other now. Have you thought about who you will visit and how long will you stay in each system?”

“The itinerary is still being worked out. We’ll probably start in the Outer Rim and work our way inwards. It could take a year, maybe more.”

“A year traveling sounds divine. Be sure to schedule a couple of extra days in Alderaan, I want to show you around properly, without rushing through formalities so you are back on your ship as soon as possible,” Breha chuckled.

“I’ll see if we can work something out.”

* * *

 “We did pack everything, right?”

“If we’re missing anything, we can purchase it,” Vader replied. “Rex has informed me that our fleet is ready to depart. All ships are stocked, all soldiers, ready.”

“We’re bringing all of my wardrobe but I’m not sure that’s enough,” she joked. “Not at the rate I know you can tear through it.”

“I’ll try to rein in my lust,” he smirked before turning serious. “You’re ready to leave?”

“Yes.” She pulled him down so she could kiss him. “Let’s leave everything behind and see our galaxy.”

“That might have been the best thing I’ve heard in a while.” Vader agreed with a sigh, returning her kiss.


	2. Chapter 2

**Arkanis**

The rain limited the options for what the Regency could do for the Imperial couple during their visit, but the Empress and her consort were not so unimaginative.

“It always rains, they really should’ve thought this through more,” Padmé remarked,  slowly pulling off her black leather gloves as they returned to their suite. “But I suppose it’s to our benefit, don’t you think?”

Her husband gave her a sly look. “Impossible to imagine why the Ambassador thought we would be bored in our chambers,” he smirked. “If only he knew,” he raised one eyebrow.

“Always interesting to see how prepared people are for state visits. I’m sure they’ll make it up to us with some lavish gift.” She dropped the gloves on the floor and lowered one strap of the matching sleeveless gown. “Hopefully it’ll be tasteful.”

“Not as tasteful as you,” he drawled out, sitting in one armchair. “Or the show I’m about to watch,” he added cheekily.

“Oh, is there a show?” she moved behind the changing screen, blocking his view.

Vader pouted, tilting his head. “Why do you have to be mean? I’ve suffered through enough political conversations tonight, so I deserve to be spoiled.”

“Oh, do you?” She emerged wearing a deep red velvet robe with a slit up the thigh and black lace insets up the sides that matched her corset. “I don’t know if I’m convinced.”

His eyes widened and he looked like a child on a sugar rush. “I didn’t kill anyone today, I was very well behaved,” he offered, licking his lips.

“Tell me more.” She moved towards him, lifting her right foot up through the slit of the robe and placing it on the arm of the chair.

“Hmmm,” he ran his fingers over the skin exposed, thoughtful. “I love you very, very much?”

“And?” she removed one of her tasseled black earrings, leaning past him to place it on the table. The movement gave him a good look down the neck of her dress and the curve of her breasts. “Tell me what else.”

He bit his lower lip, his eyes darkening with desire. “You’re the most beautiful being to ever grace this Galaxy?”

“Go on.” The second earring joined its companion, followed by the black diamond choker that had been around her neck.

“You were the best thing to happen to me,” it was no longer a question, but a statement. He was fixed in her movements, observing how she moved, what she did, and where it would lead next.

“Is that so?” Her fingers traced the clasp of the robe as her eyes flickered towards his. “Will you show me?”

“For as long as you allow me,” he whispered in complete devotion. Padmé smiled and moved her fingers down, pulling the robe aside so that he could see her uncovered sex, already reeking of desire.

“Drink up, my love,” she crooned. “It’s all yours.”

Vader slid down the armchair, to be on his knees in front of her, his eyes never leaving hers. He brushed his lips across her folds before his tongue darted out to tease her clit. His hands ran up her legs, so he could cup her backside and bring her closer, if possible, to his mouth, as he began licking and eating her out. Padmé keened, using the chair to brace herself as she leaned in to let him go deeper. _Force, I love you._

* * *

  **Malastare**

“Alright, your turn. What shall we do next?”

“You’ve been teasing me all day, right now, I just want to have you, all of you,” Vader declared, switching their positions so he was pinning her down in the mattress. “Fuck you senseless or until one of us loses their senses.” She giggled, pulling the appropriate black ribbons out of the way.

“Do fuck me senseless, Lord Vader, be absolutely savage. Bite me, pull my hair, whatever you want, I’ll take it like a good girl.”

“How can I refuse that sort of request?” He asked rhetorically, before bringing his lips to her pulse point, biting down and then sucking. His hips rocked forward, against her as he pinned her arms to her sides, making it impossible for her to move. She still tried, her hips writhing eagerly beneath him as her eyes closed and her head tilted back, giving him better access to her throat.

“ _Oh_.” Letting go of her pulse point, leaving an angry, red mark in his wake, his lips trailed down her collarbone to her breasts, where he nipped at the sensitive skin, the need to mark her as his all over her body unable to be contained. She tried to speak again, but all that came out was a garbled moan of ecstasy. Vader pulled back, to kneel between her legs so he could unceremoniously flip her, so she was laying on her stomach and then he smacked on her cheeks. “Oh!” she shrieked again, her toes curling at the strike.

“Quiet,” he teased, pulling her hips back to meet his and she could feel how hard he already was for her and smacked her again. “You don’t want our hosts to hear us, do you?”

“It’s your decision what to do with my mouth,” she squeaked.

As a response, he entered her with a hard thrust. “You’re such a smartass, aren’t you?”

“Terrible,” she moaned, arching her back and pressing her hips against his.

His hand ran over her back before one curled itself in her hair and he tugged on it, pulling her up, his arm curling around her stomach to pull her back flush against his chest as he thrust into her non-stop. Padmé’s breathing grew faster and more desperate as she clenched around him, trying to keep her orgasm at bay. Letting go of her hair, his hand came down to where they were joined so he started furiously rubbing at her clit, his thrusts becoming faster and harder as his breathing grew labored.

 _“Please_ ,” Padmé whispered.

“Please, what?” He asked in her ear, giving her an especially hard thrust.

“ _Fill me_ ,” she begged.

With a grunt and his hold on her body tightening, he thrust into her a couple of more times, before letting out a guttural moan, coming inside of her. Padmé exhaled and allowed her own release to happen, slumping against him with a satisfied purr. “Perfect.”

He hummed in response, arms still around her. Nuzzling her neck, he kissed the spot he had bitten earlier and was starting to form a hickey that would be very difficult to hide the following morning.

“I was thinking,” she mused, her hand reaching down to start easing his cock out of her. “We should consider a proper vacation at some point, we haven’t had one since our honeymoon. A progress is all well and good, but it’s still work.”

“When we return to Mustafar, we can think about a vacation. I’m sure we’ll have plenty to deal with in our return,” Vader sighed and pulled away, laying down on the bed, arms crossed behind his head. “Once everything returns to normalcy, we could think about taking some time away. These beautiful estates in Bellassa have recently come into my possession, maybe it can be worth spending some time there.”

“Well, we can certainly take a look at them while we’re in the Core Worlds,” she agreed. “But we still have so much of the Mid Rim to see.”

“We do,” he nodded. “However I believe our tour is a success. People feel like we care about them and the fact that we’re dedicating special attention to each and every one of our allies is strengthening our alliances and the Empire has never been more popular. There hasn’t been a _single_ assassination attempt, which is a victory.”

“And a miracle,” she agreed. “Though not as much as what you do to me.”

“We’re calling it a miracle now?” He smirked.

“No one knows how to bring me pleasure quite like you, and I am in awe every time you do it.”

“That is a pretty big compliment,” Vader chuckled and pulled her down to lay at his side. “No one has ever created in me the same lust that you do.”

“And do I satisfy?”

“Beyond imagination.”

* * *

**Alderaan**

“So, we owe Bail and Breha a new bed.”

Vader laughed, holding her close to his chest and pushing the hair that had stuck to her forehead with the sweat away. “That might be a little awkward to explain.”

“Do you have a better idea?”

“No,” he snorted. “I hope they accept our _sincerest_ apologies. We should get them a stronger bed. More resistant,” Vader chuckled and brushed his lips over her forehead. “Do you want to go for round four or we’re sleeping now?”

“Sleeping, I think. Unless you want to be nodding off at inconvenient times during tomorrow’s meetings?” She traced her fingers over his chest idly. “That’d be even more awkward to explain.”

“Oh, please, I learned to sleep with my eyes open,” he rolled his eyes. “The things I put up with for you,” he said dramatically.

“Lucky for me, you couldn’t live without me,” she kissed his neck. “And I couldn’t live without you. And I know we’ll be heading back home soon, but there’s an unofficial stop I want to make first.”

“Hmm, where you, my Angel, would like to go?” He asked, eyes already shut as he began to feel drowsy.

“Will you trust me?”

“I already know I am not going to like it, but yes, I trust you.”

* * *

  **Tatooine**

“If it’s any consolation, I hate it here too.” Vader just glared at her, unamused. He shouldn’t have agreed to go anywhere blinded. As soon as the planet had come into view, he had been in a sour mood. Padmé adjusted the hood covering her hair. This was the most clothing she’d worn on this planet since before she had been enslaved. “It’s just two things, and you promised to trust me.”

“Lead the way,” he muttered, hissing in annoyance as a gust of sand hit his face. “I’m starting to think about using the Death Start to eliminate this Force-forsaken planet.”

“Later, my love.” As they reached the edge of Mos Espa, the old Slave Quarter came into view. “I thought you might want to see them before they’re demolished.”

"Why would I?" He asked.

“Just… to say goodbye,” she answered softly. “This _is_ where you grew up for a time. I didn’t have that chance, and I thought the choice should be yours. And,” her hand slipped into his. “It’s also where you first told me you were going to marry me.”

He shook his head, recoiling. "This is where my life fell apart. I understand the gesture, but this place is meaningless to me. It's cursed," he said. "I was nine, Padmé, I had a crush."

“I suppose I’m a little more sentimental,” she admitted. “This is the only place I remember on this planet where anyone was ever kind to me. You and your mother.”

"I suppose we were. But it was her nature. However, this place was miserable. Life was anything but happy. It sucked the life right out of you."

“I know.” An edge of bitterness came into her voice. “I’ve been having the planet slowly evacuated for years now, the people relocated and compensated, the slavers executed, so that we can have it terraformed, and everything it was will be forgotten.”

"It doesn't matter if the people were compensated. Those who lived here will never forget. We both know that."

“Even so.” She raised her eyes upwards and smiled. “Ah, the second part of your surprise is here.”

"I'm afraid to look," he replied dryly.

“No, I know you’ll like this one. You already mentioned it.”

"I don't think you've heard me speak about anything related to Tatooine…"

“Vader, just look up.”

Sighing, he did as he was told. The Death Star loomed above them, and Padmé smiled impishly. "I thought it would be terraformed?"

“The Death Star has other settings besides complete planetary obliteration,” she reminded him, running a hand up his chest and along his neck until it came to rest at his cheek. “And there’s a target _I_ want to take out.”

"Really? Who?"

“Not who, what.” She started heading back to the shuttle. “You’ll see when we get up there.”

“Then we should leave. Now. Have we done all that you wanted?” She nodded. “Good. I already have sand everywhere and this planet puts me in a terrible mood.”

“Good thing I know how to get you out of it,” she said, stepping up the ramp. “And you don’t know the half of it when it comes to sand. The places I’ve had to clean it out of...   _Don’t_ ask.”

“I don’t want to,” as they reached the top, he slammed his hand on the button to pull up the ramp. “Can we leave?” He muttered, passing by her towards the controls room.

“Back to the Death Star,” she told the pilot, lowering her hood with a huff. “And you are coming back with me to the cabin, I’m apologizing.”

“I need to check in with Ahsoka and Rex, first,” he said.

“Fine, but then meet me there.”

“I’ll think about it.”

“Please?”

Vader crossed his arms over his chest. “We’ll see.”

“I guess I’ll just throw out what I bought from Alderaan, then,” she sighed dramatically. Her husband didn’t move. “You said you need to check in. Go do that.” Without another word, Padmé disappeared into their stateroom, but not before he heard the fabric of her dress hit the floor.

He was being childish, he knew, but he couldn’t help it. Tatooine always brought to the front, the worst in himself and he wasn’t in the mood to be forgiving.

“Master?” Ahsoka’s voice came from the commlink on his arm.

“Hi, Ahsoka,” he sighed. “How’s Mustafar?”

“Thrawn’s efficiency is almost deadly. I’m glad you two are almost home, I’m worried he might take over. Not that he _would_ do it, but the way he does things, it might happen by accident,” she explained. “How was the tour? Have you had sex on every planet in the galaxy yet?”

“That’s a very private question,” he raised his eyebrows. “But yes,” he chuckled. “Except Tatooine,” Vader scowled. “She had the brilliant idea of having _closure_ or whatever it was and now I have sand everywhere, it’s a nightmare.”

“I’m sure she meant well, Master,” Ahsoka sighed. “Do you want me to get Rex?”

“I’m sure she did, but she should know I am not that type of person. I’m not sentimental.” Vader said. “If you say things are under control, I believe you. We’ll be home soon. I can’t believe it’s already been a year since we left.”

“Well, I’m told that time flies when you’re having fun.”

He sighed. “Reality has a cruel way of crashing into you, though.”

“You’ll have to do it again at some point, Master. Anything else?”

“No, I’ll let you go now, flirt with Rex,” he smirked. “Take care, Snips.”

“I do not flirt with Rex!”

Vader chuckled, turning off his comms. He rolled his shoulders and rubbed a hand across his face, aware of tired he was feeling. He still could feel the itch of the sand everywhere, so he decided to head for the cabin for a quick shower, so he could feel clean. His wife was nowhere to be seen, the only trace of her was the dress and her shoes discarded on the floor next to the bed. Undressing, he grabbed a towel from the drawers and entered the fresher, starting the hot water. He needed to clean Tatooine from himself.

“You know I’m sorry.” Padmé’s voice came from the door. She was wrapped in one of his robes, but her hair was clearly wet, and he could smell the freshly applied perfume. “I never meant to cause you pain.”

“I know. But you also know that Tatooine puts me in a foul mood and I need to work it out on my own. I don’t need closure, I had that a long time ago. Being here only reminds me of what I went through and that, no matter how many years pass, I will never forget,” he justified.

“Neither of us can,” she admitted. “But it’s more than sentimentality. Being here, to me, it reminds me that we survived. This was where we were at our lowest. But we survived. We became stronger, and now the entire galaxy is ours.”

“Well, it reminds me of seeing my mother being murdered. It reminds me of the Jedi’s broken promise. It reminds me of losing my humanity. Of losing who I was. You can see it that way and that’s amazing. For you. My head doesn’t work the same way.”

“I understand. And I want to apologize.”

“You don’t have to. What we can do is get drunk in the Death Star before we have to resume our duties in Mustafar. There is that Corellian whiskey we were offered.”

“After we finish this last thing.”

He sighed. “The water is running,” he pointed to the shower behind him. “What is it?”

“Oh, nothing much, we’re just going to be firing the Death Star at the Dune Sea. Specifically, we’ll be aiming at Jabba’s Palace. Think about _that_ while you’re showering. I need to finish getting dressed.”

“Yes, your Majesty,” he teased and finally put himself underneath the hot water, shivering as it made contact with his skin. Padmé lingered a moment, watching him with a small smile before she returned to the bedroom.

* * *

 “We’re ready when you are, Empress.”

“Care to do the honors?” Padmé asked, looking over at Vader.

“This is for you. You should do it,” he replied.

“Hmm.” She tilted her head, looking at the image of the Palace. It had been six years now since she’d last set foot in there, but for a long time, it had been the closest thing she’d known to a home.

It had also been the place where she’d been raped, beaten, and broken. “Fire,” she whispered.

The green beam shot from the Death Star and the image of the Palace died, meaning that Jabba’s home was destroyed, once and for all. “Now that can stop haunting you and you can really have closure on your past,” Vader said, hugging her from behind. “Can we go home, please?” He kissed her shoulder.

She leaned into him with a sigh. “As long as we can still open that Corellian whiskey and drink all of it.”

“Hmm, I don’t think we’re needed any longer, why don’t we lock ourselves away and do just that?” Padmé giggled and nodded, taking his hand with one of hers and fingering the tie of her skirt with the other.

“How is it you always know exactly what to do to make me feel better?”

“We have been together for six years. I would be pretty terrible if I didn’t.”

“But I’d love you anyway,” she admitted as they got in the lift up to their quarters. “You could probably murder me brutally, and I would still be in love with you. I would haunt you and scare off anyone you might dare to replace me with, but I would love you all the same.”

“That’s…” he made a face. “Disturbing that you would think I would murder you brutally but it’s sweet that you would scare my possible girlfriends after your death?” He sounded very unsure of his words. “Could you please never said that sentence again?”

“I’m not doing very well today, am I?” She sighed. “I promise, you won’t hear it again. I’m sorry. You’re my husband, I should know better, and yet… I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I’m trying, and I’m failing horribly.”

“I appreciate that you would love me despite what may happen, but I would never hurt you. I would rather die first,” Vader chuckled. “It’s alright, I know your intentions are in the right place. We might be both tired from traveling so much and getting tired of each other,” he smirked at the last statement.

“I could never get tired of you.” she pulled the tie loose and the skirt dropped to the ground, leaving her standing in a militaristic white corset and nothing else.

His eyes widened as he looked at her from top to bottom, in awe. “Who said you were failing horribly?” Vader asked with a sly smile.

“ _Horribly_ might have been exaggerating,” she admitted as the lift doors opened. “But keep it in your pants a little longer, my love. Unless you want the troopers working security to see us?”

“You should have undressed in our bedroom,” he pouted. “Now they’ll see you like _this_ and I might have to kill him for that,” Vader pointed out dramatically.

“They’ve already seen me in less.”

“Eh, true,” he shrugged before leaning down and putting her over his shoulder. “We’re here,” he quipped as he carried her down the hall and through the doors of their cabin.

“Good thing we weren’t drunk because then you might have dropped me,” she giggled.

“Never,” he set her down, cradling her face between his hands and kissing her passionately. “I’m getting the bottles, you get the glasses,” he nuzzled her cheek before pulling away.

“Good plan.” she moved to the cabinet, pulling out two of the crystal glasses from the cabinet near the bed. “Let’s… let’s toast to something.”

Vader opened one of the bottles and filled the glasses. “To a successful tour?”

“In more ways than one,” she agreed, taking a swallow of the liquor. “Oh, Force, that burns. Give me more. And we’ll toast to closure.”

He drank his own glass before filling both of them again. “ _Your_ closure,” he corrected. “I’ll toast to that.”

“Fair,” she conceded, draining the second helping and holding out her cup for another refill. “They undersold just how strong this was. I love it.”

Shaking his head, he filled her glass. “You’re a lightweight, Angel, take it easy,” Vader laughed. “What else will we toast to?”

“All the dresses I lost on this tour?” she suggested. “You tore them to shreds, no hope of repair.”

“Alright, so let’s toast to the new wardrobe your husband is going to buy you when we arrive home,” he smirked and drained his glass.

“Maybe a little less black now,” she agreed, taking a healthy swallow of her own. “I was thinking, when we get back, I want to make love in the gardens.”

“We haven’t done that yet?” Vader filled both glasses again and took a gulp. “What a lapse! We’ll get it done the moment we get back.”

“Perfect.” She ran her finger around the rim of her glass for a moment before drinking. “I suppose it’s because I want...I don’t know, I want to be able to picture us in Varykino.”

“Tell me about it,” he whispered.

“It was a villa my family owned in the Lake District,” she murmured, finishing off the glass and taking the bottle from him to refill it. “Right on the shore, with a beach, and a little island. We’d go there for school holidays, and my sister and I would swim out there, and lie on the beach in the sun. We’d listen to the birds singing and make crowns out of flowers… I loved it there.”

Vader leaned forward to kiss her down her neck. “It sounds amazing. What if we could rebuild it to your imagination? Find a worthy place within the Galaxy that would make it justice. Would you like to have that again?”

“Maybe,” she ran her hand through her hair, then undid the collar and detached it from the corset. “Kriff, it was choking me just now. And not in the fun way,” she grumbled, tossing it on the floor. “It might be a good present for our next wedding anniversary.”

“It’s okay to miss them,” he said casually, taking the bottle back and filling his glass again. “Your family. Your first home. You can miss them.”

“It’s more than that,” she sighed and bit her lip. “I failed them. I wasn’t just their daughter, I was their Queen. I was supposed to protect them, and they’re dead now. I couldn’t do anything to stop it, and that feeling haunted me. It still haunts me.”

“You were a child,” he said. “Repeat with me. _I was a child._ ”

“I was,” a sob cracked out. “It… the babies… I failed one family, so the Force won’t let us have another...”

“It’s not your fault and what happened with us, is not a punishment,” he whispered brokenly. “When I found you, six years ago, I promised to myself not to let you go through any more pain and it breaks me that this is happening. If you believe the Force is somehow telling us we don’t deserve to be parents, then it’s not because of you,” he wrapped his arms around her. “You were a child and I will defend this until my last breath. No fourteen year old, surrounded by enemies, should be submitted to the brutality that you were. You shouldn’t have had to carry the weight of a planet on your shoulders. It’s not your fault that it happened. The guilty are dead. They got their punishment. Say it for me to hear. _I was a child. It was not my fault._ ”

“It wasn’t my fault,” she mumbled weakly, “because I was a child.”

“I didn’t hear you,” he sighed, kissing her hair. “What did you say?”

“I was a child,” she said, slightly louder. “And it wasn’t my fault.”

“Again, so we can make sure it stuck.”

“I was a child, and it wasn’t my fault,” she repeated. “But I still hate them. They took everything, they’re _still_ taking.”

“Good girl,” he said proudly, kissing her forehead. “The babies that we’ve lost, are my fault. I was foolish to give you hope, to… to-”

“No. No, it wasn’t your fault,” she insisted, grabbing his hand. “It’s never been your fault, you were right to want to try. Say it. Say it, Anakin. Say it’s not your fault.”

“Turning my words against me, it’s not fair play,” he chuckled. “I wanted to give you back something that they stole, but I didn’t imagine it would cause us so much grief. I thought that it might not work, we might not ever conceive. I didn’t picture losing one child, after the other. I never cared much about becoming a parent, but,” he sighed, lacing their fingers together. “I admit I grew fond of the idea.”

“Say it.”

“I was the one who made it possible for you to live with this agonizing pain,” he shook his head. “It’s not the same as what happened to you. You were fourteen. I am a grown man.”

“You were trying to help me. That’s all you’ve ever tried to do, and I love you for it.” she placed a kiss at his neck.

“Like I will always love you. Children or no children. To be honest, Ahsoka is already a pain at times.”

“Yes, but she’s a teenager. Teenagers are monsters.”

“Exactly my point. Babies turn to toddlers. Toddlers turn to children and children eventually become teenagers. Teenagers are monsters. It’s a good thing we’ll live in peace,” he nodded, pretending to be very serious.

“ _You’re_ a monster,” she laughed, tweaking his nose. “And I don’t think what we do should be considered peace, some of the things that have happened in this bedroom are taken as acts of war elsewhere.”

“Oh, well,” he shrugged with a grin before kissing her. “Let the war begin.” She set her glass down with a wobbly hand, then reached for his pants.

“No prisoners, straight to battle. Right now.”

* * *

 “Empress, the planet is all the brighter for your radiant presence returning,” Thrawn bowed low as Padmé and Vader disembarked from the shuttle. “Prince Consort, welcome home.”

"It's nice to have such a welcome home, Thrawn, thank you," Vader chuckled.

“Really, Thrawn, even for you, such flattery is excessive,” Padmé chided even as she smiled and extended a hand for her Grand Vizier to kiss in greeting. “I’m glad to see the Palace is still in one piece.”

“And your Empire is prospering. The new Minister of the Treasury has been serving quite well.”

“It was rather inspired of you to choose a low-level bureaucrat. I’m glad Master Dunney is serving his purpose, but I think you’re trying to distract me. What’s happening?”

“Some of the rebel cells have become more daring over the last year in your absence from the Palace. Some Representatives in Parliament have even gone so far as to openly express sympathies,” Thrawn explained, and Padmé groaned. “They’ve been trying to make a grab for greater power. I have files on all of them, of course, as well as their allies in Parliament and—”

“I’m tired,” Padmé interrupted. “And this sounds like more work than I am willing to deal with right now.”

"You can go and rest. I'll stay with Thrawn and look at the files. I need to meet with Rex and Ahsoka too, so I have plenty to do," Vader said, kissing her temple. "You can deal with your unruly Parliament tomorrow after I make a throughout assessment of who’s starting to rebel."

“Assessment _only_ ,” she warned. “No one is arrested or executed without talking to me first.”

“I’ll try my best,” he pursed his lips.

“ _Vader.”_

“You know how I feel about traitors.”

“And you know how I feel about cleaning up messes we could have avoided making in the first place.”

Vader huffed. “Alright. Assessment only. Thrawn will keep me in check.”

“Actually, I was on your side, I believe covert assassination would be the simplest—”

“ _No,_ ” Padmé interrupted and Vader, who was looking increasingly smug at the support, let his shoulders drop. “I told you what I want, and you’re going to do it. We’ll discuss this in the morning.” She stormed off in a rustle of black skirts, heading for the royal chambers.

“My wife might be a bit hungover still,” Vader muttered to Thrawn. “Maybe she’ll agree with us tomorrow.”

“I would suggest that you not unpack, Highness, no matter how this unfolds, it’s likely that you’ll be back on a ship headed for Imperial Center.”

“Fun,” Vader drawled out.

“Sarcasm. Elegant, Highness.”

“I try my best, Thrawn,” he quipped. “Now show me the files. I want to know exactly with whom we are dealing with.”

“Of course. This way.”


	3. Chapter 3

“Don’t pout like that, you may get to kill someone yet,” Padmé scolded, placing her hand in the crook of Vader’s elbow as she readjusted the high-to-low black skirt of her gown.

“We’ve been on this planet for weeks now, and we are getting nowhere. The more conversations we have with these political fools, the more disrupted our alliances get,” Vader hissed. “To have  _ Bail Organa  _ leading the charge… didn’t you mention to his wife that he should be careful of his company?”

“Obviously, he didn’t listen,” she retorted.

“I don’t know what he has to complain about. He’s still fixed in the time where Sidious was in charge and didn’t realize that for the past six years, we’ve changed things,” he kept going, irritated. “Maybe we shouldn’t have been so lenient. Maybe Sidious was right about keeping a tight leash on these idiots.”

“And maybe the best thing to do is remind them of just how much they need the Empire now,” she said as the doors to the Imperial pod opened, and she moved to take her seat.

“I don’t know about you, but I won’t host any of the Organas anymore,” he scowled, standing behind her seat, hands folded behind his back, a look of pure irritation in his face.

“Oh, we’ll host them. When they come begging us to let them back into the Empire,” she predicted as the lift beneath the pod activated, bringing them into the Parliamentary Rotunda with the strains of the Imperial Anthem echoing through the hall. “I will skip the formalities, we have been here long enough,” she announced. “I know there is no shortage of you who think me a tyrant. Who believe that the very concept of an Empire is evil, no matter what actions I might take. And I am no longer willing to indulge such ingratitude.”

Whispers began to run through the Rotunda and she tapped her fingers on the pod. “Any planet that wishes it no longer needs to be a part of this Empire will be released from it. I am not inclined to hold people against their will. Make a ‘New Republic’ if you so wish, but understand that you will be on your own. All the trade deals you might have made will be considered null and void, any laws you benefit from will be revoked, all the aid you receive will end. Is that clear?”

Vader sensed around the room. Most of the representatives were terrified with the prospect of being left to their own accord, with no support from the Empire or its allies. No monetary funding, no military protection, no trade deals. It was crazy to even consider it. However, the likes of Organa and his biggest supporters, such as Mon Mothma, Giddean Danu and Bana Breemu were eager to accept the Empress’s offer, sure that they could survive on their own. Fools. Without the Empire’s protection or trade deals, their people would suffer. Once their resources began to fail them, they would come crawling back to them and Vader would have a wicked pleasure twisting the proverbial knife into their hearts.

“I will remain in Imperial Center to negotiate with those who wish to leave, but be warned. If you try to pull unwilling planets out of this Empire, I will gladly be the tyrant you so desperately want to believe I am.” 

“Our true allies are too scared of what will happen to their people, and to them, if they leave us. With the exceptions Thrawn gave us, many are staying,” Vader whispered to his wife. “Let them go, Angel, they’ll soon come crawling back to us,” he said wickedly.

“Those who wish to arrange their exit from the Empire know how to get in touch with me. I leave you to make your decisions now,” she informed the Parliament. The pod began to descend, leaving the assembly in whispered chaos.

Vader extended his hand to her, and she took it with a smirk. “You were wonderful, love. We already know who’s leaving. Bail and his friends. I will gladly watch them exhaust their resources and with no help from the Empire, or our allies. That should be made clear. No ally of the Empire can negotiate with the New Republic.”

“No, but it’ll be fun to watch them try to beg for some help before they leave. Severance packages,” she laughed, stretching her legs out before she stood. “But honestly, right now, I feel like dancing with my handsome husband and celebrating a job well done.”

“Dancing?” Vader chuckled. “It sounds like amazing plans. Where should we go?”

“I mean, we do have a very large palace here that we never use,” she pointed out. “If you want to do things privately, that is. But there are supposed to be quite a lot of clubs here too.”

“What do you prefer?”

“As long as it ends with me in your arms, I’m not picky.”

“We could have dinner and then go back to our Palace and have our private party,” Vader suggested. “I do remember a restaurant where the food is to die for.”

“Sounds perfect,” she grinned. “We deserve a treat, considering the headache we’re going to be in for tomorrow.”

He smiled and kissed the corner of her lips. “True.”

“Should I change before we leave, or do you like me in black and roses?” she asked, letting go of his hand to strike a pose.

“You look perfect, I love you in everything,” he beamed as they approached their shuttle. “Rex, please take us to Dex,” he asked, helping Padmé inside.

“Yessir.” The clone saluted and closed the door behind them. Padmé started to frown, rubbing at her temples.

“We have a medi-kit in here, right? I’ve got an awful headache all of a sudden.”

“I think we do,” he nodded. “After dealing with the Parliament all day, it’s amazing how you didn’t have one before.”

“I suppose it’s a delayed reaction,” she sighed dryly, searching the cabinets for the medi-kit and pulling out the bottle of headache medication. “We’ve been here for how many weeks now? I was bound to snap at some point.”

“Six weeks,” Vader sighed. 

“I should’ve thought of this New Republic idea a lot sooner,” she grumbled, popping a pill into her mouth. “We’d be that much closer to going home.”

“Honestly, I just want to be done with this. I want to go home. I want to resume our normal life. We’ve finished the tour and we were home for two days before we came here. I don’t even remember what our room looks like.”

“I know,” she sighed, returning the bottle and the kit to their place in the cabinet. “But it’s better this way, we don’t have to lose any good soldiers in a pointless civil war.”

“Agreed. Let’s hope that never happens,” Vader nodded. “When we go home, what are our plans?” He took her knuckles to his lips. “Besides, of course, making love in our little garden.”

“I assume you’ll resume training with Ahsoka.”

“Yes,” Vader said. “However, I don’t have much more to teach her.”

“So, she’ll be Agrona all the time?”

He shrugged. “It’s her Sith name, but Ahsoka doesn’t have the same aversion to her given name as I do. In official business, she is Agrona. At home, with us or whoever she trusts, she’s free to be Ahsoka.”

“Well, then I’m sure she’ll be leaving us somewhere down the line,” Padmé sighed dramatically. “We could get a pet. So that we don’t feel lonely without our teenage menace.”

“She is bound to live her life outside my shadow,” he whispered. “I want her to do that. Have the same options as I did. A pet? Such as?”

“I don’t know, it was a spur of the moment suggestion because the only other ideas I had were running the Empire and making love all over our palace.”

“As long as it isn’t a Ysalamir, we can get whichever you like the most,” he laughed. “Well, I think that is basically what we’ve been doing all these years,” Vader shrugged. “Why change an already great thing, right?”

“You do have a point there,” she conceded. “You’re the best thing that ever happened to me. And I love you.”

“I love you too,” he kissed her cheek sweetly. “We’ll be home soon and everything will be back to normal. Us and our Empire.”

* * *

_ A child’s laughter echoes through the meadow, and Vader looks around confused. It looked like the garden he had offered Padmé, but still, it felt different. _

_ “Hello?” He called out, taking a few steps forward, his voice echoing as well. He hears the sound of feet splashing in the water, followed by a shriek, and suddenly a girl, maybe five years old, in a white dress with a long brown braid runs up to him. _

_ “Tag!” she shouts, tapping his leg. _

_ “What?” He whispered looking down at the child. “Who are you?” The girl giggled and ran away and he instinctively followed after her. “Wait!” _

_ “Not gonna catch me!” she sang, spinning through the flowers and ducking behind a massive brown creature. Was that a shaak? But they were extinct now. “You’re it, you’ve gotta catch me!” _

_ “But, you didn’t tell me…” he ran around the shaak to try and grab her and she shrieked, deflecting him. “Your name. You didn’t tell me your name. Also, why is a shaak here?” The last question was more to himself, as he frowned at the creature. _

_ “I don’t have a name yet,” she said innocently. “And why wouldn’t there be a shaak? This is where they lived. It’d be silly for there not to be a shaak.” Then she giggled. “It’s a funny word. And you’re still it!” Then she took off running again. _

_ Her eyes… were as brown as Padmé’s. He ran after her and managed to grab her by the waist, hoisting her up. “I got you,” he whispered as she squealed. _

_ “You win!” _

_ “Who are you?” _

_ Her expression grew serious. “You know. Don’t be scared.” The features of her little face were so perfect, so familiar. “We’re going to be okay.” _

Vader shot up in the bed, breathless as if he had been actually running after a child in a meadow with  _ shaaks. _ He shook his head as her last words haunted him. Immediately, he felt the bed was too cold and noticed Padmé was not next to him. It was past four in the morning, where could she be?

The heaving from the fresher told him. He quickly left the bed and appeared in the fresher, dazed. “Padmé? What’s wrong?”

“I just woke up and needed to eject everything from my stomach,” she moaned. “It’s awful, I feel like I’m dying.”

"Do you think it was something you ate?" He sighed and pulled her hair back. "Did anything taste funny to you?"

“I don’t know, I can’t remember anything other than what’s happening right now,” Padmé pressed her face on the cool edge of the toilet. “We were eating comfort food, weren’t we?”

He nodded, his mind going blank for a moment as he recalled the last time they did this routine. "Let me carry you to bed and I'll grab a glass of water and some nausea pills for you," he whispered distractedly. It couldn't be. She couldn't be expecting again. Not when they had been extremely careful. 

_ I don’t have a name yet.  _ It couldn’t be.

“I can walk,” she protested, pulling the blanket she’d been wearing around her shoulders tighter as she pulled back. “It’s not that far.”

"Padmé…"

“I’m fine.”

He still looked concerned, afraid to speak out loud about what he thought was happening. "I'll still get you water and the pills."

“You’re sweet.” Padmé squeezed his hand as she shakily got to her feet. “Can you tell them to cancel my meetings for the morning?”

"Yes. Anything else?" 

“Tea?” she suggested, staggering to the bed and collapsing on it with a groan. “And close the curtains.”

"Don't worry, I'll get everything done and I'll let you rest," he grabbed the datapad and immediately sent a warning to Thrawn that neither of them would be available the next day. He also requested that the kitchens have a pot of tea to be brought to their chambers. They had nausea pills in their fresher cabinet and he filled a glass of water, bringing it to the bed. "Here, take this." She swallowed both at once, slumping against the pillows.

“I’ll send for an emdee once my stomach’s settled a little,” she promised. “It’ll be fine. Don’t look at me like I’m about to die.”

"We could go tomorrow, it would be for the best," he said, sitting next to her. "I don't like to see you sick, that's all."

“I’m not as bad as you are, you get horribly sulky,” she teased.

"I do, but that's me. You… I just want to make sure you are alright. Tomorrow morning. Promise me." 

“I promise.” Padmé frowned. “Is something else going on here?”

His eyes glanced at her stomach for a second before he looked away and shook his head. "No. I just want you safe." 

“You don’t think I’m being poisoned somehow, do you?”

"No! Force, no. Padmé, it’s not that. I'm worried… I… I think…" he shook his head, unable to do it again. 

“What?”

"You might be pregnant," he sighed miserably. "Again." She narrowed her eyes and folded her arms.

“We’ve been too careful. There are plenty of women who get headaches and nausea without being pregnant.”

"I just have a feeling. That's why we should visit an emdee tomorrow. Make sure it's what you are saying and not…  _ this _ again."

“If I’m still feeling sick then,” she amended coldly. “You’re jumping at shadows.”

"It will be just a little prick on your finger."

“ _ No. _ ”

"Padmé, please." He pleaded. "Just for us to forget this idea. You know it will eat at us if we don't know." 

“I don’t want to know, and I don’t want to think about it. There are more important things to address right now.”

Vader rolled his eyes, exasperated. "Like what? What is more important?" 

“The representatives from the Banking Clan arriving in a few days so that we can sort out the financial logistics of planets leave the Empire.”

"You want to wait a couple of days?" He asked, baffled. "I am just concerned."

“And nothing will change in that time, now,  _ please. _ Let it go.”

Vader shook his head and stood up. "As you wish. I'll let you rest."

* * *

“I have other obligations besides this one, so I just want to make it clear before I depart and you start getting into the details.” Padmé’s eyes moved across the men at the table, lingering briefly on Rush Clovis. He looked fatter than he had when she’d last seen him, and it pleased her to know that he’d started letting himself go. Prya had to  _ hate  _ that. “Under no circumstances is the New Republic to benefit from any of its original deals while a member of the Galactic Empire. They have chosen to leave us behind, and will not continue to enjoy the benefits they received under our protection. Is that understood?“

"Yes, your Majesty, but we need to discuss the costs of the systems’ removal from the Empire. It will affect everyone greatly. Trade deals will be lost. Resources will be lost."

“I suggest you make that clear to the planets that are trying to leave. The systems remaining outnumber them twenty to one, the Empire is not the one that will suffer,” Padmé predicted, rising from her seat. “I will expect reports at the end of each day, obviously. But there are countless other aspects of this secession that need my attention, so you will have to handle this one without me. Excuse me, gentlemen.” She swept out of the room, the trailing blue cape of her dress rippling as she moved.

Her husband was hovering over the door when she left. He looked worried. Apparently, he was permanently worried since the morning he’d found her throwing up in the bathroom. “How did it go?”

“They’re getting started now, and I made it clear what I want,” she answered, rubbing at the gold vambrace on her left arm. “I doubt they’ll disappoint me. How is the military side of things going?”

“Quiet. Calm. No one dares to defy me,” he assured her. “Rex is keeping things in order and I have Ahsoka doing rounds to make sure nothing escapes us.”

“Then I think we’re on our way to this being a successful  _ temporary  _ secession,” she agreed, then trailed off with a frown as she saw two figures at the end of the hall. “Is that who I think it is?”

Vader turned to look at the same figures and groaned. “It’s Prya.”

“We can still turn around, she hasn’t seen us yet.”

“We will have to face her sooner or later. She’s staying with her husband, after all.” Padmé scowled, gripping his hand tightly.

“The only thing that’s stopping me from calling that woman a bitch to her face right now is the fact that she’s not alone,” she muttered, glaring at the two-year-old who was clutching the skirts of Prya’s lavender gown, a gown that was doing very little to hide the prominent swell of his mother’s stomach.

“Do it internally. Like I do,” Vader mumbled as he put on a polite smile as the woman in question came within hearing range. “Lady Clovis, how lovely to see you again.” 

“Empress Aivela, Prince Consort.” Prya curtsied as much as her stomach would let her. “I don’t believe you’ve met my son, Bardan?”

“Charming,” Padmé said stiffly, her eyes flickering over Prya’s entire form. “You’ve changed your hair, I see. Blonde. It suits you.” It was meant as an insult, but Prya clearly took it as a compliment, smiling serenely.

“Thank you, Your Majesty, Rush thinks so too.”

“Does he?”

“Can I see Death Star?” Bardan asked, letting go of his mother’s gown to tug at Vader’s cloak. “It makes ‘splosions.”

Vader looked caught off guard. He glanced between the child and Prya and then his wife. “I don’t know. Your mother might need you, little one.”

“Oh, not, it’s quite alright, your Highness,” Prya answered, placing her hands on her stomach. “I was hoping to speak with her Majesty in private anyway.”

“Do you mind, love?” He asked, concerned.

“If I need saving, you’ll know,” Padmé answered flippantly. “Go on. Show the boy around a little.”

He nodded and offered his hand to the little two-year-old who smiled at him. It was adorable. He was toothless at the front. His chubby little fist wrapped around his hand and with one last unsure glance at the two women, he led the child away.

“What is it you want, Lady Clovis?” Padmé asked bluntly as soon as Vader was out of earshot.

“To thank you, of course,” Prya answered calmly. “You saved me, after all, your Majesty.”

“I’m sorry?” Padmé repeated in disbelief. That could not be right. She must have misheard. “I’m not sure I understand.”

“I know that you believe marrying me off to Rush was a punishment and for a little while, I thought like you did. I believed you were cruel and insensitive. Selfish, even. You sold me off to him like I was a worthless piece of trash,” Prya explained, rubbing her stomach, smiling down softly at it. “But… things changed when I stopped looking only at myself. I fell in love with Rush, and I realized how toxic my feelings for the Prince Consort were. Instead of anger and resentment, I began to feel gratitude. You allowed me to be happy. To be in love. To be a mother.”

Padmé’s jaw clenched and she fingered the diamond resting at the hollow of her throat. “I’m certainly delighted to know that the two of you deserved each other more than I anticipated,” she lied.  _ Shallow little brats, both of you. So quick to settle for the next best thing after insisting only Vader or I would be enough.  _ “And that your union has been fruitful.”

“At the same time, I am grateful, I am very sorry for you, your Majesty,” Prya tilted her head. She obviously understood the other woman still had negative feelings towards her, but she wouldn’t dwell on them. “I’ve heard about your miscarriages. I can’t even imagine,” she laced her fingers together, underneath her stomach. “No woman should ever be deprived of feeling the love of a child.”

Her hatred was one thing. Padmé had been dealing with hatred and resentment from women like her for  _ years.  _ But this, this  _ pity  _ was a thousand times worse. “No, you cannot imagine, and I will thank you not to bring up the subject again, Lady Clovis.”

“As you wish, your Majesty. I was being truthful, it was not meant to hurt you,” she bowed again as much as possible. “If you excuse me, I need to seek my aides. Could you please tell the Prince Consort to bring me Bardan after he is done with the Death Star excursion?”

“Of course.” Without meaning to, Padmé’s hand moved to her own abdomen.

No. No, she was not going to indulge in Vader’s wishful thinking, tempting though it might have been. 

Kriff everything, yes, she was.

* * *

After returning Prya’s son to the Clovis family’s guest suite, Vader returned to the palace to find his wife sitting in their study, holding something between her fingers.

“What did Prya want?” Vader asked. “I’ve been worried all afternoon.”

“She wanted to  _ thank _ me. Apparently, what I intended to be a punishment has turned into quite a picturesque little life,” Padmé grumbled, her knuckles turning white around the object in her hands. “They’re disgustingly happy and in love.”

“I see. If you see the positive side, she’s no longer obsessed with me and soon they’ll be out of here. Out of sight, out of mind,” he pointed out. “What do you have there?” He asked coming to sit down next to her.

“She got in my head. And the galling thing is, I don’t think she was even trying to. I think she was genuinely sorry about my miscarriages. And after she left, I…” she sighed, setting it down so he could see. “I took the blood test. It’s positive. I remember now, that night on the Death Star, after Tatooine. The night we both got drunk. We must’ve forgotten the usual protection.”

It wasn’t surprising to him. He had suspected it ever since he had that dream with the little girl. Her words still haunted him.  _ Don’t be scared. We’re going to be okay.  _ Silently, he took her hand and squeezed it. “What do you want to do?”

“What can we do that we haven’t done before?” she asked hollowly. “We’ll wait, we’ll watch me grow, we’ll get closer and closer, and then we’ll lose them.”

There were many comforting things he could say. That it wouldn’t happen again. This time, they might be lucky and their baby might make it through. That they needed to hope and have faith and believe, but it was all said before. It was all empty promises. There were no promises to do. No way to predict the direction of this pregnancy but their past experiences. He couldn’t comfort her, not by lying to her. “This time we don’t have our hopes up. No nursery. No formal announcement. No preparation. It’s easier if we just… don’t change our whole lives again and do not let the pregnancy become our focus.” 

Of course, it was easier said than done.

“I’ll need a wardrobe that hides it,” she muttered. “We don’t tell anyone we can’t trust completely. The medical droid will be on the highest level of security.”

“Yes, and since we returned from tour and had to deal with the Parliament at Imperial City, we won’t be asked why we are not traveling, so that’s also a plus,” he nodded. “We can set up a small clinic in our floor for your check-ups. We’ll tell Ahsoka and Rex. Can you think about anyone else?”

“My attendants will have to know, they help me dress and bathe,” she reminded him. “Or at least one of them. Rislena, I trust her.”

“If you need more help, we can always tell another one,” he pointed out. “We can do this without being in the eyes of the Galaxy,” he laced their fingers. “We will be alright. We always are.”

“I know,” she sighed. “I don’t want to go through this again, Anakin. I want to be more than alright this time. But I know we won’t get it.”

He pulled her to his lap, wrapping his arms around her. “We never know, Angel,” he kissed her temple. “Let’s do it one day at a time.”

“I’ll try. But this,” she pressed her face into his chest. “We can’t keep talking about this, or the next months will be unbearable.”

“Do you prefer to pretend it’s not happening?”

“As much as possible.”

It was painful, but he nodded. “I think we can do that, love. I promise.”

“Promise me one other thing.”

“Anything.”

“Promise me you won’t let these negotiations drive me insane.”

Vader actually laughed. “With all my heart, I vow to you that I won’t let these negotiations drive you insane.”

“And not because they’ll drive you insane first,” she amended.

“I’m already sort of insane, so you don’t have to worry,” he kissed her cheek. “I love you. No matter what.”

“And I adore you.” She kissed his lips briefly. “Forever.”


	4. Chapter 4

"Is it healthy?"

"Yes, but your majesty—"

"That's all I want to know."

"Well, there's—"

"I don't want to know anything but that."

"But—"

" _ No _ ,” Padmé said firmly, wiping the gel off her stomach and looking pointedly at Vader. “I thought you got this bug out of its programming.”

“Padmé, my programming works so they can be efficient. They can’t do it without giving us all the important information and if he feels like it’s necessary to tell us more, he should,” Vader pointed out. “Don’t you think we should hear the rest?”

“They’re healthy, nothing else matters.”

Vader sighed. He couldn’t argue with that logic. “That will be all for today, thank you.” The medical droid hesitated, yet, it started to put the equipment away. The Prince Consort turned to his wife. “Three months.”

“And the major source of external stress is about to be gone,” Padmé agreed as she finished cleaning her stomach and lowered the skirt of her gown. Over the last three months, she’d been raising her waistline higher and higher, before she’d started showing. “Good riddance to the  _ New Republic, _ after tomorrow.”

“We’ll finally have peace and quiet,” Vader said.

“Not a moment too soon.”

He helped her off of the medical table and gave her a once over. “How do you feel? These last few meetings are not as important. I can go with Thrawn, if you want to rest.”

“Just so long as you’re not late for dinner. Ahsoka said she wanted to talk to us about something.”

Vader nodded and kissed her forehead. “I won’t, don’t worry. Call me if you need me.”

“You mean for something specific?” she teased. “I always need you.”

“You know what I mean,” he chuckled. “I can satisfy  _ those  _ particular needs later.”

“Yes, dear, I know what you mean. And I love you.”

“I’ll see you at dinner. Rest. Eat something,” kissing her cheek, he left. There were meetings to be attended and he still needed to find Thrawn.

“Grand Vizier’s in his office, waiting for you, sir,” a clone informed him, passing by.

Hesitating, Vader thanked him and changed directions to meet the Grand Vizier. He entered without knocking. “You seem psychic, Thrawn, has anyone ever told you that?”

“Merely observant, your Highness,” the Chiss answered, smiling calmly. “How is our Empress?”

“Resting. The past couple of months have been tense with the negotiations and since her presence is no longer mandatory, I decided I could spare her and attend these last couple of meetings myself,” Vader answered. It wasn’t a lie. “What are husbands for, after all?”

“I suppose it depends on the match, your Highness. We do things very differently in the Ascendancy. But you provide for your family well.”

He didn’t miss the use of _family_ instead of _wife._ Somehow, he'd suspected Thrawn was already aware of Padmé’s condition. He always did know everything that happened in the Empire. The Royal Couple being no exception. “I do love my wife above everything,” he nodded. “Who do we have to meet with first?”

“Just some final touches with the new trade agreements. The longer this has gone on, the more planets that have balked, the Empress really is brilliant.”

Vader smiled proudly. “Indeed, she is. She is extraordinary in what she does,” he agreed wholeheartedly. “How long do you think these fools will last without us, Thrawn? I give them less than a year.”

“It’s a generous estimate on your part, my lord. I say it’ll be three months, and I’m almost tempted to make a wager, but you might as well give me the credits now.”

“I am basing my estimate on Bail Organa’s stubbornness. However, if they last less than three months, I will give you one of the finest bottles of Corellian whiskey I have. How does it sound?” Vader offered, grinning from ear to ear.

“And what if I lose?”

“You’ll owe me one?”

“I feel like you’re getting the better end of the deal there,” Thrawn said dryly. “Let’s keep it solely to favors.”

“Agreed,” Vader shrugged. “Now, meetings. Before I have my wife asking me for a report and the only thing I can answer is that I was betting with you on the New Republic’s longevity.”

“Of course, your Highness. It is our solemn duty to make life as easy for our dear Empress as possible.”

* * *

 

“Has it always been so cold in here?” Padmé complained, wrapping her shawl tightly around her shoulders.

“I can have the temperature changed if you need,” Vader said, frowning and slowly reaching for the datapad.

“ _ Please. _ It’s felt frigid all day. Like Hoth.”

He didn’t comment. The temperature was perfectly fine. Like it always had been. Yet, accessing the controls through his datapad, he increased the temperature of the rooms. “It should be better in a few minutes,” Vader said. 

“You look tired,” she remarked. “Were meetings that unpleasant? Or are you not getting enough sleep?”

Vader wanted to say both, but he didn’t need to bother her with the details of his restless nights, filled the dreams of a five-year-old girl making him run around a meadow or hiding in the hallways of a fantastic palatial home. “Meetings are dreadful. That’s all.” If he told her about the dreams, it would be as if he wanted to discuss the possibility of the child she carried actually making it this time. He made her a promise he didn’t want to break.

“Sorry I’m late,” Ahsoka barged in, her montrals flinging about wildly. “I, um, I had a meeting that ran long.”

“No worries, you arrived just in time,” Vader quipped. “Sit, sit. We are both starving  _ and  _ curious.”

Ahsoka took a seat between the two of them, her russet face flushed as she shifted nervously. “It’s kind of complicated.”

“I am sure you can explain yourself,” Vader prompted. “What is on your mind, Snips?”

“Master, I want to start by saying that you’ve been incredible. The two of you have been my family all these years, and I love you both. A lot.”

Vader frowned as he set his cutlery down. “That feels like a goodbye,” he pointed out. “What’s going on, Ahsoka?”

“I want to go to the New Republic.”

“ _ What _ ?” Padmé’s glass slipped from her hand and snapped in half on the table. Vader just blinked at his Apprentice and leaned back in his chair, in complete shock. Ahsoka raised her hands in protest, trying to calm them down.

“It’s not like that! I still believe in the Empire, I want to be your emissary, your representative, I just… I think it’s where the Force wants me right now.”

Recovering, Vader shook his head. “Not the Force, but your heart,” he realized. “I’m right, aren’t I?”

“Master…”

“I want you to be happy, Ahsoka,” he smiled sadly at her. “I’m going to miss you but I knew this day was coming. Where you had to leave and make your own life. You’ll always have my support and I will gladly name you my emissary for the New Republic. If you have the chance to have what I have,” he took Padmé’s hand with a wider smile. “I’ll be the last person to stop you.”

“I guess we just thought we’d have more time, that you’d drag out negotiations a lot longer,” she admitted. “I feel guilty leaving you now.”

“Don’t ever feel guilty for chasing your happiness,” Vader said. “We’re grown-up, we’ll be fine without our rebellious teen ward,” he smirked.

“You can’t keep calling me that, I’m not a teenager anymore.”

“Call me when you grow three more inches,” he quipped.

“Children, please,” Padmé groaned. “Maybe when you get back, you’ll  _ both  _ have matured.”

“Does this mean I get your blessing?” Ahsoka asked, glancing between the couple.

“You have mine,” Vader said.

“And mine, so long as you don’t start a war. And call us.”

“Well, there goes my holiday plans,” Ahsoka joked. “I’ll call, I promise. I’ll visit as often as I can. I mean, you never know when you might need me for… uh… stuff,” she shrugged, clearly overspeaking as she tried not to glance at Padmé’s midsection. “You have to promise to call me too.”

“Of course.” Padmé graciously ignored the obvious attempts to ignore her pregnancy. “Enough of that, if you’re leaving, we should make this night a proper celebration, no more gloomy faces.” Ahsoka and Vader nodded in agreement, and the rest of the meal was spent reminiscing and joking until Padmé grew too tired. Before she retreated to her chambers, she paused at Ahsoka’s seat, her hand lingering on the Togruta’s shoulder. “You will always be family to us,” she said softly before leaving the room.

As Master and Apprentice were left alone, he pulled her into a tight hug. He had grown so close to her over the past five years, letting her go would be difficult. He loved her like a sister he never had. She was one of the only people in this Galaxy he cared for.

“I’m going to miss you, Snips,” he confessed. “I know you have to go, but I selfishly wish you could stay.”

“I know, Master. And I’ll miss you too. A lot,” she admitted. “But you said it yourself, I have to follow my heart.”

“Yes, you do. It’s just… with what’s happening right now… I hope that I don’t have to call you to give you the same news as before,” he whispered. “I don’t tell her this, but I hope this one is for real, that we don’t have to deliver a stillborn child again. The exams say it’s healthy. Healthier when compared to the exams of the previous pregnancies, but I am  _ so  _ afraid.”

“It’ll be okay, Master. You’re the strongest people I know. I’ve got a good feeling about this.”

“I hope so. Do I get to know who is stealing you from us?” He teased.

“Not a chance, Master.”

“I’ll be good, I promise,” Vader chuckled. “I would like to know who makes you so happy.”

“But it’ll be so much more fun to make you guess.”

Her Master huffed. “That’s mean. Do you know how many people I’ve met on tour? In the Imperial City? In these kriffing negotiations? I don’t remember everyone,” he complained. “What about clues? Can you give me clues?”

“You can ask me yes-or-no questions,” she offered with a grin. “But that’s all I’m willing to give you.”

Vader groaned. “Alright, alright… boy or girl?”

“Yes.” She smirked.

“Kriff!” He ran a hand through his hair. “Is it a boy?” Ahsoka just smirked and pretended to zip her lips. “You’re impossible and if you ever get married, I am  _ not  _ giving you a gift. Now get out of here, I’m sure you still have things to pack.”

“Please, you’ll be naming your kid after me,” she teased.

“Dream on,” he snorted before smirking. “Go. We’ll be alright without you. Go live your life, Agrona.”

“I’ll do my best, Master.”

* * *

 

As she stood by Vader’s side and watched the last of the ships depart for the new Republic, Padmé yelped in shock at a sudden pressure on her abdomen. Her husband immediately turned to her side, wincing as he too felt a probe in his mental shields.

“Padmé, what is it?”  _ Oh no, not again. This can’t… why… please, no…  _ “Padmé?” He called urgently, pushing aside the probe. It might have been Ahsoka leaving, something with their bond. He didn’t pay attention to it.

“It’s…” she frowned, fighting the urge to rub her stomach while they were in public. “It’s not  _ that. _ I don’t know, I’ve never felt this before, I—oh!” Her eyes widened as she felt the pressure again.

“Well, what do you feel? Should we see the medical droid?” Again, there was a slight pressure in his shields and he huffed frustrated. Padmé needed to be his focus now.

She hesitated, pursing her lips. “It’s like…  _ kicking. _ ”

He blinked, surprised. They had never experienced kicking before. In the last one, there was a flutter of movement, but nothing as strong as a kick. Hesitating, he glanced at her stomach and like his wife, he fought the urge to reach out and feel it for himself. “Does it hurt?”

“No, I’m not in pain, it’s just unexpected. And constant. Hard to ignore.”

“Maybe it doesn’t want to be ignored,” Vader muttered to himself, looking over his shoulder. “We can go inside, have some privacy. Everyone has left.”

“We promised,” she reminded him gravely.

“I know, I’m sorry but I am not the one kicking you,” he pointed out.

“Alright,” she sighed, taking his hand and moving it to her waist so that they could return to the palace. “But this changes nothing, we’re going back to Mustafar tomorrow.”

“Finally,” he breathed a sigh of relief, holding her closer to him. “We’ll be much more comfortable in the privacy of our home.”

“I’ve missed it,” Padmé agreed as the palace doors closed behind them and she removed the jeweled belt from her dark blue gown. “We can make a quick visit to the emdee to make sure this is normal, but nothing more. Alright?”

“Thank you,” he nodded appreciatively. Pausing, he pondered his next words. “Is it still kicking?”

“No, it’s stopped now,” she admitted with a frown. “Wait, my mistake, just changed positions.”

The hand on her waist lowered to palm the side of her stomach and he felt it. A nudge against his palm and a nudge in the Force, like a bell had been rung and was echoing. His eyes narrowed. Vader had never felt the children they conceived through the Force before. They were too weak to hold on, but this… this was new to him. He didn’t know what he was sensing, but he knew it was their offspring. It was a mess of senses, of life, confusion. Comfort. Attention. It wanted attention.

“I think,” she paused. “I think this is what happens normally around this time. Three months. Quickening, it’s called.”

“You are probably right,” he dropped his hand. “If you still want to see an emdee, or if you feel pain… we can do it.”

“I don’t feel pain, but I do still want to see the Emdee.”

Vader took her hand. “Then we should be on our way. We have a lot of packing to finish before tomorrow.”

“If you really think I haven’t had most of my wardrobe getting packed systematically for the last few weeks, I don’t think you know me at all,” she teased.

“Oh, fine, keep rubbing it in that I’m the messier of us two,” he smirked, entering the lift and selecting their floor. “I barely packed.”

“I’ve failed to train you,” she teased, ruffling his hair. “Good thing I’m not a Sith, I’d be a horrible teacher.”

“You’re a natural Empress,” he leaned down to kiss her cheek. “Nothing suits you more.”

“Not even being your wife?”

“Oh, that was very inconsiderate of me,” he feigned shock and horror. “That is the role that suits you most, how could I ever say otherwise? I’m sure I can make it up to you in many, many ways.”

“I’m sure you can,” she agreed, kissing his neck.

* * *

“I’ll give you one more question for the night, then it’s my turn.”

Vader gave the blue image of his apprentice a sour look. “I hope you answer this time and don’t just be a smartass,” he huffed. “Hmm… have I personally met and spoke with your lover?”

“Hmmm, no.”

He rolled his eyes. “Of course not,” he sighed. “What is your question?”

“Are you still having the dreams of your daughter?”

He hesitated before answering. “Yes. They haven’t stopped. It’s not every night, but it’s most of them.”

“Has anything changed?” she asked curiously. “It’s five months now, everything’s still good?”

“We had an appointment this morning. Everything is perfect, according to the emdee but neither of us wants to get attached. We haven’t seen the baby, we haven’t heard the heartbeat, we haven’t spoken about anything baby related,” Vader said. “It’s very difficult. We went through this three times and we never make it to the finish line. We never get to hold the baby whose heartbeat we did hear, whose image we did see.”

“I know, Master,” she sighed. “But this is a month longer than that time, don’t you think maybe this time…” Ahsoka stopped mid-sentence. “Never mind.”

“Every try was a month longer. It never worked,” he sighed deeply, running a hand through his hair. “The hard part is that  _ I  _ am getting attached. I am getting my hopes up and all because of these dreams and for the first time, Ahsoka, I have felt it in the Force. Tugging at me, probing. Seeking attention.”

“And that’s never happened before,” she reminded him. “ _ I _ can practically feel them through our bond, Master, that’s how strong they are. That’s never happened before.”

“The thing is that I am afraid of is if this connection disappears, because once it does I know what it will mean and it will break me,” he confessed. “I can’t tell Padmé this. If it doesn’t work out, she’ll have a more difficult time recovering. I know she’s already feeling it move. Kicking. She pretends it’s nothing, but she notices it. Neither of us wants to acknowledge it but we both want to fuss over it. Three more months of this constant worry and fear will make me age decades.”

“Fine, I guess I’ll just have to believe enough for the both of you,” she sighed. “Master, spend time with your wife. Even if you’re not going to tell her, she still needs you around right now. Women like to be pampered. Rub her shoulders, feed her some sweets, that kind of thing.”

“Snips, everything is business as usual. I treat her as I always have. We agreed on no special things over the pregnancy. I don’t want her to think that I’m doing something because she’s pregnant or anything of the sorts. Her stomach keeps growing further and it’s starting to be impossible to hide it. People already whisper, but they have orders not to mention it,” he pointed out. “I don’t know what I could do.”

“You’ve never had a problem spoiling her when she wasn’t pregnant, you gave her a damn empire two years before you were even married.”

He chuckled. “How do you beat that?” Then he paused. “Actually…”

“Don’t tell me you’ve got another galaxy stashed away somewhere.”

“No, nothing as big, but I might have an idea to surprise her,” he beamed. “See, I knew I kept you around for something.”

“You’re welcome, Master. I gotta go now, I’ve got…” she paused. “Someone of my own waiting.”

* * *

 

The following morning, near lunchtime, Vader waltzed inside Padmé’s office with a beaming smile. “Busy, my love?”

“Just reviewing some reports from our spies,” she answered, the silver-purple velvet of her dress shimmering in the red light of the office as she switched datapads. “Kuat, it seems, is not doing so well in the New Republic. Terrible food shortages, refugees are pouring in.”

He snorted. “They have what they asked for. I don’t pity them,” he muttered. “But I am not here to talk about that. I have a gift for you.”

“A gift?” she repeated. “It’s not my birthday.”

“So?” He raised one eyebrow. “Can’t a husband spoil his wife outside her birthday?”

“I’m just curious what the occasion is, love.”

“There is no occasion,” Vader insisted. “I just wanted to give you something and it’s ridiculous to wait for your birthday,” he offered her a hand. “It’s in my office. Or, better yet, I need to show you in my office.”

“Interesting.” She propped herself up, using his hand for support as she maneuvered her growing stomach around the desk.

“Don’t look so suspicious,” he chuckled.

“I’m just trying to figure out what you’re planning,” Padmé replied innocently as they started walking towards his office. “I’m curious.”

Vader squeezed her hand, beaming at her. “I do hope you love it, though.”

“You haven’t disappointed me since I found out you had a harem, I don’t see why you’d start now,” she teased, ruffling his hair fondly. “Can’t you give me a clue?’

“When are you  _ ever  _ going to let that one go?” Vader groaned. Together for nearly seven years and she still took jabs at him for the harem. “It’s not something that you can use. Right now at least.”

“I will let it go when you stop reacting. It’s too funny.” She paused and frowned, looking down at her stomach. “I see.”

“It’s not because of that,” he pointed out softly.

“Oh? Then why can’t I use it now?”

“There is still a lot to do,” he replied as they were nearing his office. “But you will see in a few minutes.” Entering his office, he took her to the central console he had. He kissed her knuckles before letting go of her hand and starting to work on the console. Soon, the room was filled with the blue light of a hologram of what looked to be a city. “Do you recognize it?”

She paused, tilting her head. “I can’t say I do.”

“This is Ussa. The capital of Bellassa. As you know, Ussa has seven big, tranquil and beautiful lakes and several districts connected over them,” he explained. “It’s nothing as grand as… your home was, but it’s the closest I saw so far.”

“You’re planning on making a Lake Country?” she guessed, examining the holo. “Similar to the one that was on Naboo?

Enlarging the hologram to focus on a single piece of earth, surrounded by three different lakes, he nodded slowly. “This is an unnamed estate I was given while Sidious was still in power. I never paid close attention, I kept receiving these offerings, but from what I know, this particular estate has nothing. Only flora and fauna. I searched about the Lake Country and I believe it’s the appropriate size. It was never considered a District of Ussa because it was not big enough to support that kind of infrastructure,” Vader explained. “It’s mine. Ours. It’s there. Empty. When I heard you speaking about Varykino, I could understand what it meant to you.”

“It’s beautiful,” she murmured, her fingers hovering over the edge of the holo. “Almost tempting to imagine running away there and staying forever.”

“Maybe when we retire,” he joked. “If you want to, Varykino can be built again. In your image. You can build it to be the same estate, down to the décor, or change it to what you want it to be. It’s your decision. This,” he waved at the hologram, “is yours.” 

She turned, pressing a kiss to his neck. “You’re incredible. You didn’t have to do all this for me.”

“It’s not as big as a Galaxy, I will never be able to top that, but I do my best,” he chuckled, kissing her hair. “I love you and I’ll do anything to make you happy.”

“You know I try to do the same. Every day.”

He turned to wrap his arms around her and properly kiss her. Moving his mouth over hers in a passionate kiss that was suddenly interrupted by his stomach being kicked. Vader pulled back. “Hmm… I felt that.” Padmé closed her eyes, taking a long breath through her nose.

“Go on. I know you want to,” she whispered.

“Want to what?” He asked innocently

“Touch. Have the moment with them. It’s alright.” It clearly wasn’t, even without the Force, he could tell that it pained her, but she knew it would make him happy.

“I’m alright,” he nodded and pulled her into a hug. “I don’t need to.” Vader wouldn’t tell her he already did it secretly while she was sleeping.

“It’s getting harder,” she admitted, resting her head against his chest. “I’ll be in a council meeting, or holding court, and it’ll start and I can’t do anything about it.”

Vader opened his mouth to speak but closed it. They wanted her attention. He could feel that through the Force. Whenever he felt them active at night and he knew she needed to rest, he would gently lay a hand on her stomach and tell them to behave, to be good and they would quiet down. “I… uh… never mind.”

“We won’t speak of it anymore. I’m sorry.”

“I just wanted to say that if you want the movement to let you work without getting distracted, maybe if you acknowledge it?” He closed his eyes, knowing he should have kept his mouth shut. “Maybe just, caress where it hit and… and it would let you continue working. You could try.”

“Where others could see it?” she reminded him. “You know I can’t. They’ll know.”

“You can be discreet,” he shrugged. “Try it. One time at least. Try it.”

She sighed, looking down at the pronounced abdomen hiding beneath her dress and hesitantly placed a hand on top of it. “I’ll consider it.”

“You know where to find me if you need me,” he smiled at her, kissing her forehead.

* * *

_ “Please, slow down.” Padmé shifted her skirts to one hand, trying to follow the boy as he ran up the stairs, gesturing for her to follow. “Why can’t you just let me go?” _

_ The boy stopped a few meters in front of her and he pouted. “I don’t want to,” his bottom lip trembled. “I love you,” then he started running again only to stop as a girl’s laughter echoed over the halls. The boy beamed and glanced over his shoulder at Padmé, before taking off in a sprint towards the laughter. _

_ “Wait!” _

Padmé shot up in bed, hyperventilating as she felt the relentless kicking in her stomach. “Stop it,” she begged, reluctantly moving her hand to the spot where the strikes were most ferocious. “I hear you, now stop, please.”

Immediately, the kicking subsided. Moments later, there was a light pressure against her palm but it was softer than a kick. It was most likely, a tiny hand.

“No, don’t do that,” she pleaded. “If you do that, it’ll only be that much harder for me to lose you.” She received a kick as if the baby hadn’t liked her words. “ _ Stop it. _ ” Another kick but it was lower.

“Yelling at her is not the solution,” her husband muttered sleepily as he pressed his face into his pillow and apparently, fell back asleep with a sigh.

“ _ Her? _ ” Padmé repeated.  _ But… it was  _ **_him_ ** _ in my dream.  _

“What?” Vader mumbled raising his head, blinking at his wife. “What is it?” He yawned.

“You said her.”

Vader paused. “I did?” He asked weakly.

“Yes, Vader, you did.”

He sat up in bed, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Vader. Not Anakin. She was mad. “It’s just a guess. It’s been almost seven months, I don’t like saying  _ it  _ anymore.”

“But why  _ her? _ ” she pressed. “You can’t possibly know it’ll be a girl.”

“Hmm,” he placed a hand on her stomach and within a moment, there was a strong tap against his palm. “With a kick like that, definitely a girl,” he teased, caressing the spot.

“Go back to sleep, Anakin,” she sighed, shaking her head. “We’re both tired, and this will be done soon.”

“Don’t yell at her. Or him,” he kissed her cheek. “Apparently, they don’t like being scolded,” he rolled his eyes and laid back down, not telling her that through the Force the baby was upset she had raised her voice. If he could picture it, and he could see the little girl so clearly, he would say she was pouting. “Night, love.”

“Goodnight, Anakin.”


	5. Chapter 5

“One favor,” Thrawn sighed as they watched the few remaining representatives of the New Republic filter into the throne room. “I am a man of my word.”

Vader chuckled, patting the Grand Vizier’s shoulder. “I told you Bail’s stubbornness would prevail above all. I don’t know what the favor will be at the moment, but when I do have an idea, I’ll inform you.”

“Don’t be too smug,” the Chiss said regally as the delegation from Humbarine began to kneel before the Imperial Throne. “I was only off by a month. I blame myself for not setting terms that were more in my favor.”

“Afraid what I might ask of you?” The Sith snickered, eyes alight with amusement as he saw the faces of the representatives that came crawling back, just as expected. They were lucky Padmé sat on the throne. If it was him, he would have been cruel and set up a ruthless punishment. Maybe not even let them return at all.

Although, seven months into her pregnancy, the Empress was often irritable, subject to changing moods, so they were even luckier to have caught her on a good day. And while there was no longer even a pretense of hiding her belly, no one said a word. No one was that stupid. 

Bail and Breha Organa were the last to bend the knee, and that made Vader want to watch every second. “Alderaan humbly asks mercy and indulgence of the Empire,” Breha intoned, managing to sound regal despite her capitulation. “Please, Empress Aivela, take pity, and allow us to return.”

“The people are welcome,” Padmé declared, speaking in the detached tone she used for the most formal of occasions. “But the indiscretions of your Royal House are not so easily overlooked.” Her gaze moved unsubtly to Bail. “How will Alderaan prove its loyalty is steadfast? That secession will not be happening again, once prosperity has been restored?”

“I will be resigning as the representative of Alderaan, your Majesty,” Bail spoke solemnly. “We plead to your trust in our new Senator and that, with the course of time, Alderaan will once again prove its worth to the Empire.”

“Any more missteps by either of you and I will not hesitate to rip out the entire house of Organa, root and stem, to ensure further treasons are not committed,” Padmé warned venomously. “Am I understood?”

“Perfectly, your Majesty,” Breha confirmed.

“Then Alderaan is welcomed back into the glory of the Empire with open arms. And may we all prosper for it.” Padmé’s magnanimous declaration was met with thunderous applause that triggered a triumphant smile on the Empress’ lips. “Our beloved galaxy is united once more, and so I renew the promise that I made to you when Vader first placed the crown upon my head. I have seen the best and worst of this galaxy, and this I vow: that no citizen under my rule will want for food, water, or shelter, that no planet shall want for justice and protection, no system will be denied peace and prosperity. So swears Aivela.” 

The responding cheer was deafening. Her popularity was undeniable and Vader couldn’t help the swell of pride he felt in those moments. To see the fantastic woman she had become. As it all came to an end, he approached her throne. “I’m proud of you, Angel,” he said extending his hand to help her down. “But now, I believe you should rest?” Vader raised one eyebrow. They were a few weeks away from the end of her pregnancy and her stomach had grown so much. Each day that passed, he felt the fierce Force presence of the life she carried and with that, the hopes that this could be real, that this time they would hold their child, grew as well.

“I’m not tired,” she protested calmly, brushing back her hair from her face as they moved through the crowd. “I feel fine.”

“If I said please, would you consider retiring to our bedroom for a little while?” Vader asked.

“You’re not going to let this go, are you?”

“No, you know how I worry,” he pointed out.

“It’s sweet of you.” She kissed his cheek. “Just a few formalities,  _ then _ I’ll rest. Deal?”

He sighed. “Alright. But make them quick.”

“Of course.” She twined their fingers together for a brief moment before letting go so that she could go speak with an Ambassador from Corellia. Vader shook his head, knowing how stubborn his wife was.

“She’s quite a ruler,” a familiar female voice came from behind him. “You do know how to pick them, Master.”

“Ashoka!” He turned around, surprise coloring his features. “You’re here!”

“Well, I don’t exactly have a New Republic to represent the Empire for anymore, do I?” she pointed out, bowing her head in lieu of a hug, given the more formal environment. “It’s good to see you, Master.”

“It’s good to see you too,” he beamed. “Is it now you will introduce me to the one that has won your heart?” Vader raised one eyebrow. “Or are you still playing games with your Master?”

Ahsoka pressed her lips together, looking down at the ground. “You know the Bonteri family of Onderon?” she asked quietly.

“I do,” he nodded slowly. “Is it their youngest, Lux?” Vader guessed.

“Yeah, now that we’re back, he might be visiting you.”

“He plans on asking for your hand?” He teased. Ahsoka just blushed. “Good. I can make him sweat, then.”

“Master, come on, that’s just cruel.”

“If he truly loves you and wants to be with you, he’ll survive,” Vader chuckled.

“ _ Master _ ,” she groaned. “This is why I never told you about my ex-girlfriend.”

“The one in Mandalore? Sabine?” Vader raised one eyebrow. “You think I was unaware?”

“No, I knew you knew about Sabine.”

“Who else did you date?” He asked curiously.

“Not telling.”

“You already told me who you are actually with, so why can’t I know who came before?”

“Because there still have to be some boundaries between us, Master,” she teased, giving him a light punch on the arm. “Torture my current boyfriend all you want, but leave my exes out of it.”

“Will do,” he chuckled. “We have to schedule a training session, so I can make sure you haven’t gone soft in the New Republic.”

“I’d like that,” she agreed, smiling softly. “I’ll finally get to wipe the floor with you.”

He laughed. “Oh, keep dreaming, my dear Apprentice.”

“It’ll happen someday.”

“Perhaps, but not anytime soon,” he quipped. “Now I have to find Padmé. Her few formalities must have ended by now and I do want her to rest.”

“Empress!” someone shouted as a gasp ran through the crowd. Ahsoka immediately snapped to attention, looking at Vader fearfully.

Vader was already moving through the crowd, desperately searching for Padmé. As he reached her, Breha Organa stood at her side, supporting Padmé as she clutched her stomach, doubled over in pain. 

“Her water broke, your Highness,” Breha said.

“Padmé,” he whispered, placing one arm around her and bringing her to his side. “Can you hear me?”

“It can’t be,” she whispered, grabbing his arm in a panic. “It’s too soon.”

“How early is she?” The Queen of Alderaan asked.

“We have five weeks left,” Vader answered.

“It’s soon, yes, but it’s not necessarily something bad,” Breha said. “Get her to the medical center. They will need to deliver the child as soon as possible.”

Vader nodded. “Hold on to me, Angel,” he whispered as he began to guide her out of the throne room. He could hear Rex and Ahsoka controlling the crowd, and he was grateful for it. “Everything is going to be alright.”

“I can’t,” she whimpered. “I don’t want this to happen, I don’t want to lose him.”

“Him?” He questioned as they entered the lift, trying to serve as a distraction. He was also terrified of what it meant. Five weeks was too soon, no matter what the Queen of Alderaan said. “You believe it’s a boy?”

“I dreamed it,” she confessed. “So many times, our son...he looks like you.”

He was shocked to hear it, since for him, his dreams, had been of a daughter that looked just like her mother. “I said our baby was a girl that night because I had dreamt of a daughter, that looks exactly like you,” he said quietly, one hand over her stomach. Fortunately, he still felt the connection through the Force. “This time it might be different, love, we have to hope.”

“I’m afraid, Ani.” It was the first time she’d called him that since the Zygerrian attack. “I’m afraid to hope.”

“I know, I am too,” he sighed. “This is not like other times. Your water broke. You didn’t bleed. That is already a good sign. I know it’s soon, but you heard Breha. It’s not necessarily a bad thing.”

The lift doors opened, an emdee immediately approaching them. “Lady Agrona sent a comm,” it informed Vader. “We’ve already prepared the delivery suite for the Empress. If you would help her disrobe, we can begin.” Padmé was already reaching to remove the diamond necklace around her throat.

“Let me help you,” he said and unclasped it for her, the stones falling in his hand and he set them in a table at their side. He loosened her dress as quickly as he could. “Well, this is a different way to take your clothes off,” he said jokingly.

“Don’t,” she hissed, removing her bracelet and unclasping her brassiere from the front. “Please.”

“You need to breathe,” he whispered. “Padmé, the baby is alive, I can feel him. I promise he’s alive.”

“They,” the droid corrected as it, along with a few of the other models, helped Padmé onto the medical bed. “We did try to tell you, Your Highness, but the Empress is expecting fraternal twins. Male and female.”

Vader blinked at turned to Padmé, their dreams suddenly both making sense. “I was dreaming with her and you were dreaming with him. They made it happen through the Force. They were trying to tell us… to not be scared, that they will be alright,” he whispered. “Now it makes sense. The labor is too soon, isn’t it?” He questioned the droid.

“Twins often come before the due date, your Highness, and our examinations have given no indication that there is anything wrong with either child.”

“Twins,” Padmé repeated, staring up at the ceiling as the delivery cone encircled her stomach, starting the scan. Her hand reached out for Vader’s, just as she had done the last three times they’d been in a room like this. “ _ Force _ .”

“You heard the medical droid. Coming early is normal for twins. Nothing is wrong with either of them,” he took her hand and squeezed it, kissing her temple. “They will be fine. Both of them.”

“Even so, I would like some painkillers,” she requested weakly. “This still hurts.”

“We’ll administer painkillers after the scan is complete,” the droid said.

“This time, we have nothing ready,” Vader said, caressing her hair. “Or names prepared.”

Padmé didn’t say anything. Even as the droids were telling her the babies—  _ babies _ — were healthy, her mind was fixating on everything that could still go wrong. The droids looked at each other, making some kind of exchange in binary she couldn’t understand. “What’s going on, what are they saying?”

“The babies have been active,” the lead droid answered. “And their umbilical cords have become tangled. The safest procedure would be to deliver them through the stomach.”

“You’re talking about surgery? Actually opening my wife? Surgically removing the children?” Vader asked in bewilderment.

“It is a much more common procedure than you might think,” the droid confirmed. “There is very rarely any lasting damage to the mother or the children.”

“What are the risks of natural birth?” Vader questioned.

“There could be damages to the Empress’ organs, the children could be suffocated,” one of the junior droids began to list, and Padmé’s grip on Vader’s hand tightened as a contraction hit. He felt a knuckle crack. “It can be done, but it will be much more dangerous and take longer.”

“Padmé…” he turned to her. “It is your decision.”

“Save them.” She didn’t hesitate. “Do whatever it takes to make sure my  _ children _ survive.” Her eyes flickered to Vader, shining with tears. “I know you won’t let me go. We have to think of them first.”

“Nothing is going to happen to any of you,” he said with a frown. “I promise. You’re not getting out of this marriage so easily,” he leaned down to kiss her forehead. “Do the surgery,” he told the droids. They started moving about, pre and Padme let out a hiss as a needle pricked her, sending a dose of painkillers and anesthetic into her bloodstream.

“This is happening,” she murmured in disbelief as the drugs began to set in, making her feel fuzzy. “This is happening. We’re going to hold our babies. We’re having  _ babies,  _ Anakin.”

He laughed softly, eyes stinging with tears. “Yes. We are. Because you are the strongest woman this Galaxy has ever seen,” he whispered into her ear. “And you deserve this. You deserve to hold our babies.”

“So do you.” She let out a squeak as she felt the droids start the surgery, and was grateful for the cone around her stomach, preventing her from seeing her own body being cut open. “This is really strong. It could probably knock out a rancor.”

“I hope so, I don’t want you to feel any pain,” he mumbled. “We can tell them later that they were so unruly before they were born they tangled themselves,” Vader chuckled. “It’s a good story.”

“And they didn’t let me rest during that time either,” she agreed.

“I don’t think we’ll have any rest for the next eighteen years,” he pointed out, still holding her hand and caressing her hair.

“We can try. Maybe a vacation to Ussa in ten years. Although Mustafar might not be the best place to raise them anyway,” she rambled. “All that lava, not really safe.”

“That’s something we can discuss in time. After all, the Lake Country is going to take some time to be built. I do agree we shouldn’t let them play too close to the lava rivers,” he chuckled. “Maybe Imperial Center can be safer.”

“Maybe, but you hate it there.”

“As long as you are with me, I will learn to love it there. Besides, my hate comes from years of oppression because of Sidious. This time, it will be different,” he explained.

“I suppose it would make things more convenient to not be in the Outer Rim,” she sighed, twitching a little as the droids continued to work through the surgery. “But this has been home for so long now. It’s where we fell in love.”

“I fell in love with you on Tatooine,” he pointed out with a smile. “A long, long time ago. I will live with you anywhere and it will be home,” Vader leaned down to kiss her forehead.

“ _ Now _ who’s sentimental?” she teased.

Her husband was going to reply, but he went silent as he turned to look at the droids, a pull in the Force distracting him.

“We have the first baby,” the droid announced and a sudden, high-pitched wail filled the delivery room as he held in his arms a squirming baby, kicking and waving the little arms around, the cries exponentially growing. “It’s the girl.” The other emdee cut the umbilical cord and took the screaming baby girl to get examined. 

“We have a daughter,” Vader said in awe as the girl’s cries grew. “A very upset one, but we have a daughter,” he gave her a chaste kiss. “I’m so proud of you.”

“Let me see.”

“We need to deliver the boy first, your Majesty, then you will see them,” the droid said.

“Anakin, do you see her? Tell me about her,” Padmé insisted, trying to crane her neck to see.

He stood up straight. “She’s been cleaned,” he said. “She’s very active,” they could still her mewls of protest. “She wants you,” he realized softly, with a smile.

“Soon, Leia,” Padmé exhaled, reaching out towards their daughter with her free hand.

“Leia?” He blinked.

“It just… came to me. A feeling. Like it was destined to be her name.”

“I have the boy,” the droid announced but as it removed the baby from the womb, there was silence and Vader froze. He wasn’t crying.

“What’s wrong?” Padmé began to panic. “Why don’t I hear him? Is he alright?”

The droid unceremoniously slapped the baby’s backside and he finally opened his mouth to let out a protesting wail. Vader relaxed and let out a breath he didn’t even know he was holding. “He’s fine, your Majesties,” the droid said as another one came to cut the cord and take the screaming baby to place him next to his sister, who was already swaddled in a pink blanket. As soon as the twins were next to each other, the boy began to calm, his shrieks turning into cooing.

“Thank goodness,” Padmé’s shoulders slumped. “ _ Now _ can I see them?”

“We still need to deliver the afterbirth and finish the surgery, Empress.”

“It won’t be long now, Angel,” Vader reassured her. “Then we’ll be able to hold them. Hold Leia. Hold Luke.”

“Go be with them. Now,” she told him with a fragile smile. “We’ve waited long enough for them, don’t waste a minute.” She paused. “Luke?”

“I was searching for baby names a few weeks ago,” he admitted, blushing. “I liked how it sounded and it meant  _ light _ so I found it appropriate. Don’t you?”

“I like how it matches with his sister’s,” she said. “It seems a little ironic, but I think you’re right. Luke and Leia.”

“I’ll go be with them now.” He kissed her before pulling away hesitantly. 

Both babies had been moved into the adjacent room where they could be cleaned and checked and given the all-clear, declared perfectly healthy. The droid stepped aside to let Vader near the two newborns and he did so with care. Leia’s eyes were open and wide. Brown as her mother’s eyes, with a single difference. There was a small ring of gold around the iris. Underneath the blanket, her legs wouldn’t stop kicking and he could already guess who was the one responsible for the majority of the kicking. Luke was calmer, swaddled in a blue blanket. He looked to be sleepy, with big, stunning blue eyes. Like his sister’s, a ring of gold was near the edge. Marking them both as children of the Dark Side.

“Hi Luke,” Vader whispered, placing a hand on top of his stomach. The baby cooed in response. “Leia,” he said with devotion, repeating the gesture with the little girl. One of her little fists escaped the blanket and she waved it in the air. “Yes, little one, you have a name now,” he smiled adoringly at them. She tilted her head and blinked as if to say, ‘ _ I told you so.’  _ “You are going to be a nightmare when you are older,” he chuckled. Luke sneezed and smacked his lips together, starting to fuss, even though Vader couldn’t tell if it was just because he wanted attention like his sister, or because he was hungry. “You two together will leave us with grey hairs before I am thirty,” he chuckled, raising his hand to trace a finger down the boy’s face. “You want your mother, don’t you, son?” Luke’s eyes widened. “I know. You love her,” he whispered and leaned down to kiss his forehead, then Leia’s. “We love you too.”

“Sir, Lady Agrona is requesting entry,” one of the droids informed him.

“Let her in,” he nodded, not taking his eyes off of his babies. They were so perfect. He could already tell which features came from who. He could already tell Luke would be sweet and calm and Leia would leave chaos in her wake.

“Is everything okay?” Ahsoka asked as she breathlessly rushed in. “We’ve gotten nearly everyone calmed down, but a lot of people are worried. I mean, they all  _ knew _ she was pregnant, but they’re terrified to say anything—” she trailed off as she saw what Vader was doing. “Oh.  _ Oh. _ Is that…”

Vader briefly glanced at her. “Yes. Twins.”

“That explains so much.” She moved towards them, the concern melting off her face as she saw them. “Hi, babies.”

“They hold you forever now,” he chuckled. “I know they hold me,” Vader whispered. “You can let everyone know that the Empress was safely delivered of a son and a daughter and everyone’s healthy.”

“Okay, Master,” Ahsoka said dreamily, not moving or tearing her eyes away from the twins. “I’ll do that. In a minute. What are their names?”

“Luke and Leia.”

“Oh, they’re so cute,” she sighed again. “Look at those fat little cheeks and tiny noses.”

“Makes you want to have some of your own?” He teased.

“Maybe. Assuming you don’t scare Lux off.” She tickled Leia under the chin. “Is Padmé doing okay? I would have thought she’d have them bolted to her arms.”

“It was not a natural birth. They needed to surgically remove the babies. They were so active that their umbilical cords were tangled and if we tried a natural birth, they could suffocate and Padmé could be at risk,” Vader explained. “The medical droids are doing the afterbirth and taking care of her.”

Ahsoka cringed, rubbing her stomach. “That doesn’t sound fun.”

“No, but it’s rewarding,” Vader said. “Look at them,” he was completely besotted. “They’re so perfect.”

“I’ll remind you of that when your son pees in your face,” she teased. “You’re gonna make so many messes, aren’t you, Luke?” The baby gurgled. “Yes, you are.”

“Prince Consort?” The medical droid called. “We have finished and the Empress is doing perfectly fine. She’s demanding to see her children now.”

“I’ll take Luke, you take Leia,” Vader chuckled. “I don’t think she’ll like it we keep her waiting,” he whispered and carefully took Luke into his arms, adjusting his position to support the baby’s head and back. The weight of his son in his arms bringing a whole new meaning to the experience. “Let’s see your Mom, son,” he kissed his forehead. Ahsoka cheated, using the Force to correctly position Leia in her arms as she followed him back into the delivery room. Padmé had been given a loose white robe, and she was draining a glass of something, but she set it down as soon as she saw Vader.

“ _ Finally _ .”

He chuckled. “I have someone very eager to meet you,” he said as he approached her with Luke, who tried to follow the sound of his mother’s voice. 

“Hi, Luke,” Padmé cooed, undoing the sash of her robe before opening her arms to the baby boy. “There you are, my mysterious little boy.”

Vader carefully passed the baby to his mother’s arms. “There. No longer a dream,” he whispered. “Ahsoka, give me Leia, please, and then make sure to let everyone know the good news.”

“Aw, five more minutes,” she pleaded. “She’s so cute.”

“I know, she’s mine, give her here,” Vader narrowed his eyes and extended his arms to receive his daughter. Ahsoka sighed and reluctantly surrendered the infant. “Hello, baby girl,” he bounced her lightly in his arms. Leia gurgled happily. Vader took a seat next to his wife. 

“I’ll leave you two,” Ahsoka beamed. “I’m going to give the Galaxy the news that the Prince and Princess are safe.”

“Thank you, Ahsoka,” Padmé said softly as she put Luke against her breast, and he immediately latched on, suckling greedily. “Oh, slow down, little one, leave some for your sister.”

“We don’t have anything prepared for them,” Vader said thoughtfully, brushing his lips over Leia’s cheek and forehead. 

“No clothes, no toys, no nursery,” she agreed. “Granted, I’m sure every planet in the galaxy will send us something as soon as Ahsoka gets the news out.”

“They will, but doing things ourselves has another meaning,” Vader nodded. “ We could arrange a shopping trip soon. Buy them whatever our hearts desire. They will have everything the Galaxy has to offer.”

“Everything,” Padmé agreed softly, rubbing the blond fuzz of Luke’s head as he continued to nurse.“And you won’t mind sharing our bed for a few weeks?”

“Not at all. I won’t be able to take my eyes off of them. I can’t believe they are real. That they are so healthy.”

“Healthy and happy,” she added. “They will never, ever have to go through what we did. But they will not be spoiled.”

“Oh, come on, them being spoiled is inevitable,” he chuckled.

“You know what I mean, love, we won’t let them become selfish and cruel.”

“I know, Angel, that will never happen. We’ll find a good balance for them.”

“Speaking of balance,” she paused as Luke detached from her breast. “I think it’s Leia’s turn. Trade with me?”

Vader nodded and passed Leia to her arms as he took Luke to his own. “Should I do something now?” He asked.

“You burp him, sir,” a droid answered as it moved past him. “Place him on your shoulder and pat his back.”

“Oh,” Vader did as he was instructed, and Luke whimpered initially before letting out a burp. “There you go.”

“Even his burps are precious,” Padmé laughed as she positioned Leia on her opposite breast. “I didn’t know it was possible to love someone more than I love your daddy, but you two…You make it possible. Sorry, Anakin.”

“Don’t apologize. I feel the same way,” he chuckled. “Thank you for giving me them. They are the gift I never knew I wanted.”

“We did this together,” she reminded him, “I have just as much reason to thank you.”

“We did, but I had the fun part and you were the bravest, my love, carrying them and bringing them into this world.”

“Details, she sighed. “The important thing is they’re here. We’re all here.”

“Forever,” he beamed and leaned forward to kiss her.


	6. Chapter 6

“You know, I can’t believe Luke is missing his sister’s coronation,” Vader whispered to his wife as they both applauded with the rest of the guests. Leia sat on the throne, newly crowned and renamed as Empress Shiraya, looking regal as her mother had on the day of her own coronation. The same silver and sapphire crown Padmé had worn for over thirty years now sat glittering in her tightly bound hair as the skirts of her ivory gown flowed out around her. “This is what we get for letting him go on a ‘journey of self-discovery.’”

“We did all we could to have him be here,” Padmé reminded him calmly as the assorted diplomats began approaching her daughter to pay tribute to her as the new leader of the galaxy. “I’m sure he did his best to make it back home too. Besides, it’s not like he’ll be able to skip out on his own appointment when Rex finally decides to retire and name him the next Supreme Commander.”

“Why am _I_ not in the running to be Supreme Commander?”

“Because, Anakin,” the newly retitled Queen Mother reminded her younger son without turning to look at him. “Your education is incomplete and your brother is older.”

“ _Dad_ ,” Anakin turned to Vader, looking for a new ally.

“I’m sorry, Ani, but your mother is right,” Vader said apologetically. “Luke is going to be the new Supreme Commander. He is the oldest and his training is complete. You’re still Ahsoka’s Apprentice.”

Anakin let out a disgruntled sigh through his nostrils. “Can’t we at least go on ahead to the party? It’s so boring watching everyone suck up to my sister.”

“You mean the ball meant to celebrate your sister being Empress?”

“I get it,” Anakin surrendered. “They are your favorite children. The miracles,” he made a face. “I’m going to find Ahsoka. At least she loves me.”

“ _Ani_.”

“What?” He said sourly as Vader snorted quietly at the antics. “All I hear is ‘Leia this’ and ‘Luke that’. I can take a hint.”

“Clearly we’ve failed as parents if you somehow believe we love you less than the twins. That’s just not true,” Padmé scolded, catching her son by the shoulder and straightening the collar of his jacket. “You are just as much a miracle and a blessing. Except when you behave like this.” She glanced at her husband, mouthing “ _I blame you._ ”

Vader smirked, glancing between mother and son.

“Whatever.” Anakin pulled away, looking back at his sister sulkily. “Am I at least Crown Prince now? Or does Luke get to be that too?”

“ _Anakin._ ”

Vader chuckled. “I think we spoiled you a little bit more than your siblings,” he commented lightly. “Although in that, you’re right. You are the Crown Prince. Until your sister has children, that is.”

“Right, and with her charming personality, that should only take a few hundred years,” Anakin quipped. “Or a madman.”

“Will you _please_ stop?” Padmé groaned, shaking her head. “I raised you better.”

“I guess I should be used to be disappointing in light of my perfect brother,” Anakin sighed dramatically.

“Anakin, stop torturing your mother,” Vader warned, amused and knowing his son was just been dramatic.

Anakin smirked, one very much like his father’s, and shrugged. “It’s fun,” he replied, then his eyes widened. “I’ll be going now. I need to get to Eliara before someone else tried to steal her away from me.” Quickly, he escaped his parents’ reach, making his way towards the raven-haired girl in a sleeveless white dress that was entirely too low cut for Padmé’s tastes. And standing next to the Lord and Lady of Scipio. Eliara _Clovis_.

“She’s older than the twins,” Padmé whispered to Vader, her distaste abundantly clear as she gripped his arm, watching their youngest speak with her former nemesis. “Far too old for Ani.”

“You’re older than me,” he raised his eyebrows. “Five years.”

“You weren’t nineteen when we became lovers,” she reminded him. “He’s too young for a serious relationship, he’s a baby.”

“Right, I was _twenty_ ,” he nodded. “Can it be possible that your problem is her heritage, not her age?”

“Her mother used to be _your_ concubine, and her father was one of _my_ more persistent… admirers,” she reminded him.

“If she’s anything like her mother, he’ll have a _very_ good experience,” he quipped. 

“You’re horrible,” she groaned. “A horrible, dirty old man.”

He gasped, shocked. “I can’t believe you just called me old. Do I need to remind you who’s older in this relationship?” She said nothing, just reached up and pulled a silver hair from his temple, holding it in front of his face. “That’s your children’s fault,” he mumbled, smoothing back his greying blonde hair that both of his sons inherited.

“Old,” she repeated, fingering her still pure brown curls smugly. “But I enjoy being your trophy wife. Especially now that there’s no Empire dividing my attention.”

“I can’t wait until we can retire to our Lake Country. Alone for the first time in twenty-five years.”

“However will we pass the time?”

“Maybe doing activities not suited to elderly people.”

“I said _old_ , not elderly, there’s a difference.” Padmé wrapped her arms around his shoulders. “Old can still be charming. Distinguished.” Leaning forward, she nipped at his earlobe. “ _Sexy_.”

“Twenty-five years and I _still_ walk in on you two being gross,” a familiar voice quipped from behind them. “When is it going to stop?”

“Luke!” Padmé gasped, immediately letting go of Vader to hug her older son. “I thought you couldn’t make it! Your last comm said as much.”

“Like I would miss my twin’s coronation,” Luke laughed, hugging his mother back. “After the last time we spoke, Leia was very clear what she would do to my manly parts if I didn’t show my face.”

“And I meant it.” The crowd parted to allow the new Empress direct access to her parents and newly arrived twin. “Prince Luke,” she said with as much dignity as possible.

“Your Majesty,” he replied, doing an exaggerated bow. Leia glanced at her parents, rolling her eyes at her twin’s theatrics. 

“How did you get back so fast?” Padmé asked curiously.

“I found a good pilot,” Luke answered. “Along with a few other crew members, but if I’m going to introduce them, you have to promise to be nice.”

Leia’s eyes narrowed, sensing the shift in his emotions through the Force. “You’re dating one of them, aren’t you?”

“Perhaps,” he replied. “I’ll let you discover which one.”

“Your friends are welcome to stay here, Luke,” Vader said, patting his son’s shoulder. “Just don’t leave again, your mother is impossible without you.”

“I am not!” Padmé protested even as she continued fussing over the shabby state of Luke’s clothes. “Make sure you run back to your room and find something more appropriate for the ball too, dear.”

“ _Mother.”_  

“The prodigal son returns,” Anakin drawled as he appeared and placed one arm around Luke’s shoulder. “Mom is no longer going to fuss over me with you around,” he sighed dramatically.

“Oh yeah? How about now?” Luke waved a hand, undoing his brother’s carefully styled hair with a single push from the Force. 

“Knock it off, moon jockeys,” Leia said sharply just as Anakin was about to reply in the same way. “You’re not funny.”

“See, Angel?” Vader turned to Padmé. “We can retire tomorrow to Bellassa, they’ll be fine.”

“Wait, you are leaving us?” Anakin asked, glancing between his parents.

“I think after thirty years, your dad and I deserve a proper vacation,” Padmé pointed out. “We can talk about it tomorrow. Tonight is Leia’s night.”

“And I’ll make it an imperial command if I have to, Luke, go change.” Leia’s nose wrinkled upwards. “You smell like a walking carpet.”

“I did spend a lot of time with a Wookiee,” Luke pointed out.

“Is he your new boyfriend?” Anakin teased. “Oh, Mom and Dad, your grandchildren will be _hairy._ ”

“He’s my bunkmate, not my boyfriend.  The _Falcon_ has tight living quarters,” Luke protested. “And I’m going, Leia— your majesty.” For a moment, the two of them stared at each other, the gold rings of their eyes shimmering with the Force. Then they both smiled, and Luke kissed his twin on the cheek before heading back out the throne room doors.

“I hate it when you do that twin thing,” complained Anakin. 

“Don’t worry, little brother, we still love you too,” Leia chuckled.

“Then I hope your majesty won’t mind if I also go fix my hair because I am _not_ letting Eliara see me like this.” Anakin bolted before Leia could say yes, leaving his sister to look at her parents in disbelief. 

“Eliara _Clovis_?”

“That’s the one,” Vader chuckled. “Your mother _hates_ it. Which I believe is the main attraction for him.”

“I’d hate it even if it was Ashla Bonteri or Winter Organa,” Padmé protested hotly. “Leia, don’t neglect your guests on our account.”

“Right. Back to my collection of possible future consorts,” Leia groaned. “Though I have no idea how any of them could measure up to our last Prince Consort. You set the bar very high, Father.”

“I hope so,” he beamed and pulled her to a hug. “I love you, sweetheart,” he mumbled, kissing her temple. “I’m very proud of you.”

“Thanks, Daddy,” Leia whispered back. “I love you too.”

* * *

“Are you sure about this?”

“You made the Kessel Run in twelve parsecs and the idea of a _party_ scares you?” Luke asked Han in disbelief. Mara snorted and Chewbacca howled.

“It’s a _royal_ party, kid. With the former Imperial couple and with the current Empress. Yes, the idea of a _royal party_ scares me,” Han scowled.

“Calrissian, talk some sense into him, will you?” Mara complained. “He listens to you.”

“Barely,” Lando amended. “May I remind you, we _are_ talking about Han Solo.”

“ _I’m standing right here.”_

“You are _going_ to that party, Han,” Luke insisted. “You are going to meet my parents, my siblings and be _okay_ with it. They have an open bar and free food. Seriously, what else do you want?”

“Kid, I know you’re a prince, but there’s not enough—hey!” Han whirled on Mara as she held him up in mid-air with the Force. “That’s low, Jade, even for you, put me down!”

“Chewie, the doors?” Mara asked sweetly. The Wookiee did so, howling as Mara stepped by them with Han floating behind her, complaining in a loud voice. As Luke and Lando followed, she set their pilot down, smiling at him innocently. “There now, was that so hard, you big baby?”

“You’re gonna pay,” Han growled, locking eyes on the bar. “Later.”

“I’m sure,” scoffed Mara, watching him slink off, Chewbacca right behind him. “So, Lando—”

“He’s already gone,” Luke deadpanned. The Soccoran native had indeed slipped away and already had an arm around the waist of a Twi’lek woman who was laughing at one of his jokes.

“Ah, so we are finally alone,” Mara drawled, draping her arms around Luke’s neck. “My favorite royal pain.”

“As alone as we can be in a ballroom full of nobility, military officers, and diplomats,” Luke corrected. “But is this your way of telling me you want me to ask you for a dance?”

“I didn’t know I _had_ to ask you for a dance, my Prince,” she threw her red hair over her shoulders. “Besides, when I said alone, I meant not having Han, Lando, or Chewie in our private space all the time, without the notion of _privacy._ ”

“Mara…” Luke might have been about to scold her, but the way her eyes sparkled when she smiled made him forget everything except putting his hands on her waist. 

“Dance with me,” Mara asked softly, kissing his cheek.

“This isn’t going to be like that time in Corellia,” he warned, moving them towards the dance floor in time with the music.

“You _liked_ how I danced in Corellia.”

“My parents weren’t in Corellia,” Luke pointed out. “If you ever have to dance like _that_ time, you can do it privately. In our rooms.”

“Rooms, plural? Well, aren’t we fancy,” she teased. “I wasn’t going to bring up Corellia anyway, who wants to tell _Darth Vader_ ‘I started dating your son after he convinced me not to kidnap him for a local crime syndicate while I was posing as a club dancer?’”

“It seems we will have to come up with a new story of how we met. Or I would love to see my parents’ faces when you tell that in an eventual dinner we will all have,” Luke quipped. “I assure you, _Darth Vader_ is the least of your worries. _Queen Mother Aivela_ on the other hand…” he trailed off with a knowing grin.

“I should’ve gone for Han,” she sighed dramatically, spinning under his arm. “Much less complicated.”

“You would kill him five minutes into the relationship,” Luke chuckled. “In a very creative way, I believe.”

“Without a doubt.”

Across the room, they were being watched by a pair of amused golden eyes. “Padmé,” Vader called softly, interrupting her conversation with the Ambassador of Bellassa. “Have you had a chance to see our son’s girlfriend yet?”

“Will you _stop_ bringing up Anakin?” she huffed. “Apologies, Ambassador.”

“Not to worry, highness, I’ll be on my way.” The ambassador bowed, leaving Padmé with her husband.

“No, no, sweetheart, I’m really speaking about our oldest,” Vader said, amused.

“Luke with a girl?”

“A redhead at that,” Vader pointed to the dancefloor. “They look intimate.”

“Well, at least I know you never slept with _her_ mother,” Padmé said dryly, snagging a glass of wine from a passing serving droid.

“You don’t know her mother,” Vader rolled his eyes.

“You hate redheads.”

“True,” he admitted.

“I suppose I wouldn’t mind grandchildren,” she mused as she took a sip of the wine. “She _is_ attractive.”

“He has good taste,” Vader agreed. “Takes after me, of course,” he smirked. “She’s also Force-sensitive,” he added.

“And yet she’s clearly not an Inquisitor. Interesting.”

“I will have to speak with her about that,” he replied. “The boys seem to have made up their minds about their partners. I wonder about Leia.”

“You don’t believe what Ani said, I hope. She’ll find someone wonderful when she’s good and ready.”

“What I believe is that she is a complicated personality. She has much more of my temper than Luke. He’s a lot more like you,” Vader pointed out. “The man that dares to step forward will have my approval if he can survive her and become her equal,” he raised his eyebrows. “I love my daughter dearly. She is my only girl and if I could, I would lock her away. However, I will take great pleasure in making her Consort sweat and watching them build something.”

Padmé shook her head. “Can’t it be enough just for them to love her?”

“It could, but anyone can _love_ her. The right man will respect her and be _in love with her._ There’s a difference. Many loved you, Angel, but only I am in love with you.”

“I think we’re going to have to debate that later tonight,” she countered with a roll of her eyes, “as to the definition of _love_.”

While her parents discussed the possibility of her romantic future, Leia moved through the crowd of her guests, a difficult task when so many people wanted her attention. It almost surprised her that she was only just now stepping on someone’s foot by mistake. “I beg your pardon,” she apologized. 

“You could beg just about anything you want from me,” her unintended victim replied with a rakish smile, “and I’d hand it over.”

Leia looked at the man in front of her with a frown. “I don’t think I have ever seen you at court,” she stepped back, smoothing down the skirts of her dress. “Do you believe it’s appropriate to flirt with your sovereign in such an unashamed way?”

“Your brother invited me, your worshipfulness,” he answered, giving her an exaggerated bow. “Captain Han Solo.”

“Ah, my brother’s other half?” Leia spoke, tilting her head. She had seen Luke with a beautiful redhead in the dancefloor, but she couldn’t help teasing the man in front of her. “I heard very bad things about you.”

“I thought you are his other half. Being his twin and all,” Han countered easily as he straightened his spine. “But no, he and I were never an item.”

The Empress did a great show of looking him over from head to toe. “Could’ve fooled me,” she replied.

“Pretty sure the last son of an ousted royal family isn’t _appropriate_ boyfriend material for an Imperial heir anyway.” Han did a very poor impression of her voice.

“Oh, a royal family?” Leia asked. “Pretty sure my brother told me you were a smuggler who got him out of one or two sticky situations,” she pointed out.

“ _Ousted_ royal family, courtesy of good old Emperor Palpatine, as my old man used to say,” he corrected defensively. “And I’m a privateer, not a smuggler. Big difference.”

“Enjoy the open bar, Captain,” Leia said. “Try not to embarrass your _ousted_ royal family while you are in court as my brother’s guest. If you’ll excuse me, there are people I need to speak with,” she raised her chin.

“Sure thing, your majesty,” Han suppressed a scoff until she’d moved far enough out of earshot, looking around for one of the people he actually knew. Chewie was easy enough to spot, but he was talking with someone. Lando was nowhere to be seen, as was his habit at parties, and Luke was just leading Mara off the dance floor towards a sandy-haired teenager. Most likely his little brother. “Hey,” he called, heading towards them. 

“You look rattled,” Mara commented. “Alcohol not strong enough for you, Solo?”

“I don’t think all the booze in the world is strong enough to counter her imperial bossiness,” Han said, looking straight at Luke. “Hell of a sister you’ve got.”

Luke’s eyes widened in excitement. “You met Leia!” He exclaimed. “Oh, _kriff,_ I was not there to witness it,” he snickered. “Leia does have one hell of a temper. Takes after our father.”

“What did you think of her besides that?” Anakin asked, keeping an arm wrapped around the bare shoulders of the dark-haired girl. 

“ _Wonderful_ personality,” Han answered snidely. “I’ve got a feeling we’ll either kill each other or end up married with ten kids. And I’m not sure which would be the worse option.”

"I knew he looked like a madman," Anakin mumbled to the girl, who giggled.

"Welcome to the family, Han," Luke joked, patting his friend's shoulder. "If you're able to survive Leia, I'm sure you two will give us very cute nephews and nieces," he smirked.

“You can’t be serious!”

“Dad is going to hate you, it’s perfect,” Anakin agreed. “What do you think, Eliara?”

“I think your sister will kill us if she catches us talking about this, and I’d rather be dancing,” Eliara chuckled, tugging at his hand. 

As Anakin took his girlfriend to the dance floor, Luke laughed at Han's expression and clapped his shoulder. "You'll be fine, Han."

"You've handled worse, Solo," Mara said. 

"Not really, but we're rooting for you," Luke smirked. ”Leia likes Alderaanian toniray, by the way.”

“I’m not getting her a drink!” Han protested.

“Give it time, you will.”

Padmé leaned against her husband, her gaze drifting across the ballroom to watch each of their children. “Ani’s questionable choice in women aside, we did a pretty good job, didn’t we?”

“Taking into consideration how screwed up we are, yes, we did an _amazing_ job with those three,” he agreed, kissing the top of her head. “That is why I feel comfortable retiring. I have Anakin ready to follow my steps as the new Sith Lord of the Empire. Leia is Empress. Luke is Supreme Commander. We’re leaving the Galaxy in very capable hands. It’s for us to have a much needed, long, undefined break.”

“I just pray it doesn’t all come toppling down as soon as we leave them alone. Remember the time when the twins were eleven?”

“They _were_ eleven. They are older now. Both Leia and Luke will be here if Anakin needs anything more urgently. We won’t be far away and we’re always available to come back and assist them should something appear,” Vader replied and wrapped his arms around her waist. “It’s time to live our lives without carrying the Galaxy in our shoulders,” he kissed the corner of her lips. “They’re adults. They’ll be fine.”

* * *

 

The utter silence of the vacation estate was bliss. Padmé stretched out on the sand with her back upwards, idly examining a strand of her hair, and the skin of the hand holding it. 

Neither of them looked like they belonged to a mother of three approaching sixty. Forty, maybe, but not sixty. Closing her eyes, she remembered briefly, her fifteenth birthday, and the ‘present’ she’d been given. 

_“Human cells are flawed,” Melina Carniss had explained. “And while immortality is beyond the capability of anyone, even the Exalted One, he has commissioned the scientists of Kamino to develop this treatment especially for you, his Slave Queen, so that when your cells have matured to their most healthy, their most beautiful, they will remain so until you die. Is that not generous?”_

At the time, Padmé had still had enough fire in her to scream and thrash about until they sedated her and the procedure began. When it was over, she’d been brought before Jabba and reluctantly reciting that her exalted master had been far too generous to a lowly slave. Now, opening her eyes and looking at herself, she had to laugh. It had _not_ been generous, in any sense of the word. Jabba had been thinking long-term, trying to keep her attractive for as long as possible so that he could make the largest profit from selling her company to his court and his guests. A part of her had always wondered if he’d planned to eventually slay Vader and reclaim her, had Vader not summarily executed the entire clan that day.

Thank the Force he had.

She’d been content before him, dully so, unable to imagine anything other than what she’d known for over a decade. And she might have stayed that way until her death, living in a blank haze except for Vader appearing like a comet across the night sky, burning into her soul.

Did he mind that he was starting to pass her by? Would _she_ mind, when the children started to have children of their own?

No, she decided. She wouldn’t. She had more than she’d ever dreamed possible, and she was grateful for it. 

“Where is your mind?” Her husband asked, laying at her side, soaking up in the sun. His age had left him beautiful, still, but there were the small marks and wrinkles that showed that he was no longer the young Sith Lord she’d fallen for. “Making plans for when you eventually outlive me?” He guessed cheekily.

“I don’t see that happening. The minute you die, my heart will shatter,” she answered gravely. “I can’t imagine living without you. I’m more wondering how people should be punished if they think I’m your daughter. Or granddaughter, Force willing.”

“I look _that_ old, uh?” Vader teased.

“Not yet, my love. But someday.” She placed a hand on his cheek and sighed. “I think a part of me hates that we’ll never know what I might have looked like. If things had gone naturally.”

“Hmmm,” he turned his head to kiss her palm. “You would still be beautiful, love.”

“You’re a biased opinion.”

“Still a truthful one,” he chuckled. “We have to live with the fact that you will be eternally young and I’ll be old and wrinkly,” Vader poked her side. “Unable to keep up with my very young wife.”

“You’re enjoying this far too much,” she sighed. “Come here and kiss me, you old fool.”

“I don’t think I will now, you’ve hurt my fragile heart,” he pouted. “Who knows when it will stop beating?”

“Anakin Skywalker, Darth Vader, Prince Consort, Supreme Commander, Lord of the Sith, will you _please_ kiss your wife who only loves you and wants to make you happy?”

Beaming at her, he leaned towards her and took her lips in a passionate kiss, cradling her cheek. Thirty years they’d been together and they still loved each other like the first day.

“Sir!” One of the serving droids toddled out onto the beach, breaking the moment and the kiss. “Sir, there’s news from Imperial Center!”

“Go away,” Padmé groaned.

“It might be important,” he whispered and kissed her forehead. “I’ll see what it is and I’ll return in a few minutes,” he stood up and followed the serving droid inside the house. Padmé stretched out with a sigh, watching the birds fly overhead. Whatever it was surely couldn’t have been that important, or there would have been sirens indicating an emergency. Or storm troopers alerting them. All she knew was that the possibility of sex with her husband had been interrupted, and it was annoying. 

“Padmé… you are in a good mood, right, love?” Her husband returned, grimacing.

“I _was_ until we were intruded upon.”

“I have news from Anakin.”

“What kind of news?” Padmé jolted upright, her libido forgotten. “Is he hurt? Is he sick? He hasn’t been kidnapped, has he?”

“Before I tell you, you have to remember that all of those options are much, much worse,” Vader cringed. “He eloped. With Eliara.”

She scoffed. “Very funny.”

“It’s not a joke,” he pointed out. “They were wed in a secret ceremony, at sunset yesterday. It was all very romantic, very youthful. They claim to be incredibly happy and in love with one another.”

“I’m going to kill her.”

“Love, your son was in the decision just as much as Eliara was. He was in love with her, we should have expected this,” Vader said. “Yes, maybe not eloping but their relationship was inevitable.”

“He’s nineteen, he doesn’t know any better!”

“Going against this, ruining his bliss will make him turn on us, Angel, it’s not worth it,” Vader sighed. “Let him live and make his own mistakes.”

“I _will_ be saying ‘I told you so’ when she breaks his heart,” Padmé seethed, staring out at the water. “At least it wasn’t Leia and Bardan. That would have been infinitely worse.”

“We all know Leia is not Bardan’s style,” he raised his eyebrows. “You can tell Ani ‘ _I told you so_ ’ or you can spoil the eventual grandchildren he and Eliara will give us. Our story with Prya and Rush should not affect their happiness.”

She scowled, not looking at him. “They’re _family_ now. I want to vomit.”

“Next time we have dinner with our new daughter-in-law, you can tell her all about the first time you met her mother,” Vader smirked. “And what you did right after that _wonderful_ encounter.”

“You’re not making things better.”

“But I know how to make it better,” he said and she felt the straps of her bathing tog lowering. She leaned into him purely out of instinct.

“You spoil him.”

“He is our youngest,” he whispered, brushing his lips over the curve of her shoulder.

“I’m aware, I was there when he was born.” She sighed. “This… this is how I feel old. Our baby is _married_. And we missed it. Even if I do hate the family he married into, I thought we’d be there for his wed…” she trailed off and groaned. “He got her pregnant. He must have.”

Vader snorted. “Probably, but let’s not think the worst. To be fair, everyone missed the wedding. We still have Luke and Leia’s weddings to be present at and right now, I really just want to fuck you on the beach, can I?”

“You could be a little more romantic about it.”

“Apologies, Queen Mother,” he smirked. “Can I spend the rest of my days making love to you on this white sand beach?”

“You may, my love. Always and forever.”


End file.
